In other words: the village awaits you. That’s the message that the landlord and landlady sent us a couple of days ago accompanied by the splendid sunny photo of their property taken from the path that leads to the lake (see below). What a sympathetic gesture and how delightful to know that our imminent arrival is also uppermost in their minds. They even call it “our joint project”.
At the moment things are moving ahead at a dizzying pace, so here’s an update.
On a warm Tuesday afternoon Susanna and her now former work team had a great guided tour of the Ginkel nature reserve. That was followed by a barbecue and Mathijs was able to also join the tour. It was pleasant to be able to say our farewells in a peaceful and relatively cool spot. Thursday 4th July marked Susanna’s final day in Ede. In those last days much appreciation was expressed and the final embraces with colleague-friends were warm and meaningful. It felt good to know that with many of them the work activities will resume in September albeit long-distance and via the computer screen.
Mathijs’s farewell do from his work was equally warm and appreciative. It is just a shame that he’ll no longer be able to form a part of that inspired team as Staatsbosbeheer does not have a temporary long-distance employment policy. We therefore must accept that but, naturally, we shall go ahead with all our plans regardless.
From time to time we are melancholy and emotional to realize that we’ll no longer be able to see certain people or, at least, only at set intervals. Though it may seem rather cliché, such feelings of despondency and loss do endow our lives with a degree of nuance: they serve to underscore the true value of certain relationships.
Of course it is a big step but we’re not disappearing from the face of the earth. Many friends are keen to think of ways in which, from a distance, we can sustain our friendship. A number have already intimated (or at least we guess) that they be pleased to write to us with their news. In order to stimulate this we have even given certain ones writing paper, stamps and envelopes.
The clock is ticking fast during these final days in our Dutch home. Slowly much of the furniture is going and being replaced by stacks of boxes packed ready for the move. The motorbike has also been sold and there is even a kind of nostalgia for that heap of metal and plastic. How can one form an attachment to something like that? Perhaps it is not so much the actual motorbike but rather the feeling of freedom that it represents…
We know that in Sweden it won’t be long before it becomes necessary to pay a visit to a Honda dealer!
For Vidar it was time to say goodbye to one of his two teachers on the last day before her summer holiday. She had made a little felt fox for him in a bed of felt and the text on the card read:
“Dear Vidar, Will you please look after me? I lived in a drawer but I’d rather join you on your adventure. Vidar and Fox, that sounds good! I find it a bit exciting and I’m a little bit anxious but you’ll help me, won’t you? I love having cuddles but I also like to see new things like trees, plants and secret places. Can I come with you? Love, Fox”.
That made Mummy cry and, of course, the next day Fox had to go with Vidar to the National Military Museum, where we met up with the boys’ aunty and cousin. Later on when we asked Vidar what Fox had found most exciting that day he was more than able to put everthing into words. We couldn’t have thought of a more suitable present for him at this time! The choice of a fox was very special because what the teacher didn’t know was that on the card announcing his birth we had chosen the image of a fox.
That’s enough for today. Time to return to the sorting and packing!
