A few weeks ago our neighbour in France died -or rather, my boyfriend’s neighbour. Her official name was Jeanne, but everyone called her Jeannette. She was 89. Continue reading SUMMERTIME IN FRANCE

I have never been content with the kind of summers in my life. As a child we spend most summers at the seaside, where my dad used to rent a house, a small one in the Netherlands first, a bigger one in France later, when money was less tight. Continue reading SUMMERTIME

I couldn’t stop brooding over my previous post… The annual commemoration of mass murder by Nazi Germany during World War II. And the inconvenient thoughts coming up witnessing the king and his queen. Continue reading PS: REMEMBRANCE DAY and THE QUEEN of MY COUNTRY

A week ago Liberation Day was celebrated in The Netherlands. To mark the end of German occupation during World War II Continue reading REMEMBRANCE DAY

I’m afraid I’ll never get used to death. How are you supposed to? Parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, brothers, sisters, partners, friends, all gone one day. Continue reading CHASING GHOSTS?  

I came across a prologue by British philosopher and mathematician, Bertrand Russell (Bertie to one and all). Continue reading BERTRAND RUSSELL: WHAT I HAVE LIVED FOR

It all started with Proust. Or should I say: with the Proust Questionnaire.
Continue reading UNHAPPY, KIND OF

Why do we all have to die…?

My grandfather. John Hurt. Simone Veil. Hugh Hefner. Jonathan Demme. Chuck Berry. Bill Paxton. Al Jarreau. Continue reading WHY?

As a child, I was convinced things were going to be different one day. Better. There would be no more disappointments, frustrations, vexations, and most important of all, no more fear about whatever. Continue reading LIFE AND THE HAPPINESS FACTOR (5)

Okay, where are we… There seems to be a Shangri-La of happiness out there, see all commercials, films, television shows, or check out Facebook, Instagram and the rest. Continue reading LIFE AND THE HAPPINESS FACTOR (4)