The Big Day!

This morning I went for a walk in the village while T had her hairdresser visit in readiness for this evening.

The village is very small, so that only took me about five minutes, and anyway, the cafe was closed. So I walked to the next village. It was a half hour walk - I've done it before - once in the snow! I had a few sit downs at bus stops, and when I did arrive there, you can imagine how much I appreciated the coffee and apple crumble (met slagroom). And another coffee while I read my Kindle. Dutch coffee is splendid.

I love how well organised Holland is with bicycle lanes. No dog poo anywhere, but lots of horse poo, which they don't have to pick up - I'm surprised the Dutch don't have a solution yet...

When I got back to the house, about three hours later, the search parties had been out looking for me (I did not have my mobile). W had driven round the village twice, presumably looking in ditches for me. Not only that, everyone (I exaggerate only slightly) I met at the party said, 'I hear you were lost this morning'...

The party went off well. Excellent venue, good food, and entertainment in the form of a folksinger who also did funny poems and songs. I know they were funny because everyone laughed all the time, but of course it was all in Dutch. But he did sing a Scottish song for me. I was gainfully employed all evening taking hundreds of photos, which we will sort through in the coming days.

Today I learned that all the orderlies (porters) in Dutch hospitals are volunteers! Every one of them! T's neighbour is one. It's incredible that they have enough people volunteering, and what a saving to their Health Service. I might suggest it for our NHS when I get home, but I hae me doots that it would work in the UK...

EDIT: I have just learned that it is not every hospital that has volunteer porters.