Saturday & Sunday, January 16 & 17 2010 (diary)

We once again had a wonderful evening at the Thai Restaurant The Spirit House last night (Saturday). Besides the unique food it is a real visual experience as well within their lush tropical rain forest environment, large pond, burning torches and candles everywhere and Antien loved it.

I have quoted Charlemagne previously in this Blog : "To possess another language is to possess another soul." I find this undoubtedly true. But talking again with Antien in Dutch for a while I also suddenly realised that you are only truly your real self when you speak your own language. I am very comfortable speaking English every day, but I realise now that while doing this I am never really 100% myself.

When I speak English (which is pretty much all the time), I feel a little bit as if I live in a virtual reality, a somewhat remote world in which I am not truly fully present, not fully be a part of. This may seem strange to you, but it is actually how I feel. One's mother tongue is something very precious. I believe that Antien felt this too. Like me, she hardly ever gets an opportunity to speak Dutch, so we both were very eager to speak our own language together these few days we are both staying with our daughter Babette.

Monday - Wednesday, January 18 - 20 2010 (diary)

Even the most trivial thing can sometimes instill a degree of happiness in you.
For at least 30 years I have been shaving myself every morning with a good old fashioned shaving brush and Palmolive soap stick. But 5 years or so ago I lost my trusted brush when I left it in a hotel room somewhere.

Since then I have purchased several new brushes (at various prices) but every time within just days the new brush lost its hair in large chunks and had to be thrown away.
So for the past several years I had to shave myself using these horrible modern spray cans squirting out foam or gel, I simply hated that. Besides you can't take these cans on board a plane in your cabin luggage anymore, which is a nuisance when you wish to travel light (as I usually do).

Two weeks ago I gave it another shot and bought another shaving brush, and guess what, it is still OK. No hairs have fallen out so far whatsoever, the brush still looks in good shape. I wake up in the morning with a smile on my face, because I can shave again properly. Nothing can beat the feeling of the caressing brush hairs massaging your face and covering it in rich lather. Will this last ? If so, this brush will probably be my humble companion for all the remaining years of my life ahead.