Friday & Saturday, January 1 & 2 2010 (diary)

Like last year (when we returned late from the Cirque du Soleil in Brisbane) we watch a recorded version of Freddie Frinton's Dinner for One in the early hours of the New Year, then it is off to bed.

I wake up late and have a quiet day, but do my usual swim and walk on the beach. I also start checking out flight schedules with Jetstar and Lufthansa for my trip to Europe this year.
By Saturday I have sorted out the most economical flight combinations and book straight away : AUD $ 1500 (€900) Darwin-Frankfurt return, a very good price I think. So I will be in Europe for about 8 weeks through August and September. Hopefully I will be able to see all my Dutch friends in August, then during September spend most of my time in Germany.

Sunday - Tuesday, January 3 - 5 2010 (diary)

Sunday evening I receive news that Irene van Amsterdam is not very well. When I phoned her last in November she was confined to bed as she could no longer walk. Since then she has been in hospital, then back home with 24 hrs a day care. I phone her neighbours on Monday lunchtime and the news is not good. Then at 6PM I receive a call that Irene has peacefully passed away. But with 98 years plus 7 months she has had a long and quite good life.

Since I booked my flight to Europe I have felt somewhat restless, unsettled. I am trying to organise my visits to all my friends in Holland. It is a bit of a jigsaw puzzle and to get email replies from them is like squeezing blood out of a stone. They hardly ever seem to look at their Inbox!!
Fortunately by this morning (Tuesday) I do receive some replies. Only after I have a good idea what time I spend with them can I start booking my hotels in Germany around it. Being there during the holiday season means I need to book well ahead. Anyway it will sort itself out eventually.

We have had quite a bit of rain these last few days. Drought stricken New South Wales has had lots of rain too this last month and all the farmers are happy. They reckon that at least two years of their crop has now been secured.

I am reading several interesting books at present, with some of my own thoughts branching out from that. But I will write when I feel a little less restless. I am also thinking about finishing the Martinshof Story in the not too distant future.

As I write this the Euro is dropping quite dramaticaly, with the Aussie Dollar now worth €0.634