Me: Happy St. Nicholas Day.
Nell: Thank you. Did you put your boots out for St. Nicholas last night?
Me: Yes, I did.
Nell: Were they nice and clean?
Me: They were. No sand.
Nell: And were they filled with treats, or coal, this morning?
Me: Christmas treats thank goodness, so I must have been good.
Nell: David had a small piece of coal in one of his boots.
Me: Oh dear.
Nell: It was to be expected after the porridge incident. The other three boots had treats.
Me: At least his nose is mended. He showed it to me this morning after we watched the sunrise.
Nell: Herr Hoffmann is extremely excited about today.
Me: He would be. It’s a big day in Germany. All the children will have woken up this morning excited to see what Nikolaus has left in their Stiefeln.
Nell: Stiefeln?
Me: Boots. I hope Herr Hoffmann had some Lebkuchen.
Nell: He did. Lots of the stuff by the look of things. I caught him munching away in the kitchen this morning.
Me: Bless him.
Nell: We’re having a big German breakfast later with freshly baked rolls, cold meats, pickled fish, boiled eggs and honey.
Me: I’d rather have my boiled egg without honey.
Nell: Very funny.
Me: I wonder how you all are going to cope with pickled fish.
Nell: We aren’t. We’re leaving the fish to the seals and birds.
Me: I love it and so does Herr Hoffmann.
Nell: It’s a step too far for me. Now, I know you’ll be missing the family today.
Me: I am. St. Nicholas Day was such a special time for us. So many happy memories of the children’s little faces.
Nell: Just concentrate on David’s little face. That will cheer you up.
Me: Yes. Sorry.
