So the president of one of the largest countries visits our little country.

Well. I feel he's free to do so if he wants to pay his respects to the deaths of WW2.

There's a paradox because he completely disrespects the people in our country.
He acts as if he is the boss here, and sorry Mr. P. We are.

While the organisation limited the amount of visitors because we want to prevent people standing on graves, Mr. P. said everybody who wants to come can come.
Needless to say that his interference isn't appreciated by many.
He's here with about 700 to 1000 people, which is an invasion in the little town he visits.
So please allow us to decide how many people can be added to that enormous amount, and how much money we want to invest in a visit.

I'm glad I'm not the cook.
Mr. P doesn't want strawberry jam with little bits, because they can get between his teeths.
Oh my dear!!
We have good toothbrushes here, even electric ones. But maybe he isn't allowed to use them in case he brushes too effortfull???
And he doesn't want one of the kind of bread we love here, because of the same reason. tttt....

He has ordered a half baked egg.
No problem here.
But one of the safety people is watching if the cook doesn't throw little white powder in it, in case we want to poison this mighty powerusing man. Tttt....tttt

We do use white stuff in our eggs.
We do!
It's called salt!
And we have a lot of kinds. Promise we won't use the garlic sort. LOL!

I know american people are proud of their freedom of speech.
So are we.
So you can imagine what an insult it is that we're not allowed to say what we want on the roads where your mr.p travels.
In case someone shouts that he doesn't agree with international politics of this person, I guess.
I don't know if this means he has fragile ears, or that he's protected from criticism, or that maybe our government has to tip toe on eggshells, fact is that our freedom of speech is violated for the first time in our life. And be sure, that makes me angry to the bottom of my heart and I'm sure this doesn't do much good.

So Mr. P.
Thank you for using and misusing our country.
I hope you leave a good "thank-you" for all those people who have to set aside their plans for the weekend to enable you to pay respect for the deaths.

The deaths alone.

¶ Saturday, May 07, 2005 //
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In The Netherlands we have a logical but unique combination of days: may 4 and 5: remembrance day and freedom day.

On June 6, 1944 in Normandy a huge military operation started to free europe.
A huge number of troops landed. The soldiers came from England, Canada, Australia, Amerika, Poland, The Netherlands and many more european countries.

Young men who had been able to flee to England had joined the forces there to take part in liberating Europe.

During 2004 and 2005 sixty years of freedom are commemorated and celebrated throughout Europe.

Last year, in September 2004 it was exactly sixty years ago that the allied forces began their fight against the German occupiers in The Netherlands.
They were joined by the resistance.

Parts of the south were freed, but it took longer to free the complete country.
So many Dutch people suffered from hunger during the winter and some cities sufferent all the problems of being a frontline city. (Including the town where I live.)

On May 5, 1945 the german army surrendered and our country was considered free.
It was unknown at the time that at Texel a group of Georgian soldiers were fighting the german army.
This battle ended two weeks later.


May 4th is remembrance day and may 5th Day of Freedom.


May the 5th is a day of celebrations all over the country.

The day starts traditionally with the ignition of the "Fire of Freedom".

3700 walkers from 220 places have carried the fire to Wageningen, the city were the germans signed the capitulation.
Together they've walked half the circumference of the earth.


There is something to do for each agegroup. Children engage in competitions who have the nicest decorated bike, for instance.
For young people, for instance, music festivals are held.
There are also parades.
We love to celebrate with the veterans, to thank them for our freedom.
Each year many visit our country just for may 4 and 5.

Untill this year a special parade was held at Wageningen, where Prince Bernard was from 1988 - 2004 the Parade Inspector and took the salute.
He passed away in December 2004.


This year Crown-Prince Willem-Alexander, following the wishes of his grandfather, took the salute in Wageningen at a march-past of veterans, former resistance fighters and troops during the commemoration of the liberation. The National Committee Commemoration Capitulations 1945 Wageningen organized the event.

It is said that this is the very last time that the march-past is held in Wageningen. But many Dutch are sure that an event like this will take place next year too. In another form at another place perhaps.
The veterans will meet each other at a new traditional day: Veterans day, held at june 29th, the birthday of Prince Bernard.

This year 140.000 visitors crowded the streets of Wageningen.
5000 people walked in the parade and many veterans from The Netherlands and abroad had a perfect time.
Special visitor was the Governer General of Canada.

In the rest of the country less militaristic events took place.

Each of the twelve provinces organized a Liberation Festival.

The day ended with a huge open air concert on the canals of Amsterdam in presence of the Queen.
Traditionally she left in a boat, while thousands of people both on land and on the water sang "We'll meet again", which was sung in the past by Vera Lynn.

Following freedom day there are some more events on the days after this, because veterans appreciate attending most of them.
In Groesbeek at may 7th a battlefield tour will be held in honor of Operation Market Garden and Operation Veritable in Groesbeek.

In Nijverdal, the same day, Canadian veterans join in a memorial service.

May 8 will an International veterans’ parade be held in Apeldoorn, attended by war veterans from America, Canada, England and Poland. Princess Margriet will be present at this service.

In Margraten will a commemorative service be held at the war cementary in the presence of president bush of america.
Not all people value his presence as we Dutch want all people on this world to live without war and oppression.


Freedom in The Netherlands is a kind of freedom that grants freedom of every aspect of life, without invading the freedom of others.

That means we have freedom of speech, religion, movement, everything.

Last year though we all had to take the consequences of the trend in the world towards more control.

We have to carry our passport of other identitycard with us all the time.

Most of us hate it.
It reminds the elderly of the second world war, where our country suffered very badly under the germans.


We wouldn't be Dutch if we wouldn't take this as one more aspect of life to inspire us to be grateful for freedom.

¶ Thursday, May 05, 2005 //
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In The Netherlands we have a logical but unique combination of days: may 4 and 5: remembrance day and freedom day.

At may 4 life comes to a halt at 20.00 hours for two minutes to remember all those who died during WW2, during the occupation bij Japan of the Dutch Indies, those who died on peace missions.

All over the country during day and evening memorial services are held.

Many veterans come to our country to visit the graves of their warcompanions.

The national service which is broadcasted on TV is held at The Dam in Amsterdam in presence of the queen and the crownprince and his wife, and many veterans.

To keep the real message of this day alive the winner of a national poetry competition about may 4 reads the winning poem.

This year (2005) for the first time two (canadian) veterans took active part in the wreath laying.

Many official delegations pay honor to the death by laying a wreath.


Another nationally boradcasted ceremonial takes place at the Waalsdorpervlakte near The Hague.

At the Waalsdorpervlakte between the dunes the Germans created in WWII a place to shoot more than 250 people.
One of the people of the resistance: Bernardus IJzerdraad was shot at march 13 1945.
With him 14 men from the resistancegroup: De Geuzen, and 3 people who took part in the februaristrikes.
The poet Remco Campert wrote a poem: the Song of the 18 Deaths.
My grandmother taught me the poem that told about these people waiting for their death in the deathcell.

At march 8 1945 28 people were executed there as a consequence of a coincidence.
Two days before Höhere SS- und polizeiführer' Rauter ended up fighting with a group from the resistance on the Veluwe near De Woeste Hoeve.
They meant to capture a meattransport for the german army, but they hit on Rauter and his men.

The "Rauter disaster" lead to excecutions all over the country.
At the same day 117 people were shot near De Woeste Hoeve and 28 men at the Waalsdorpervlakte.


One single cross marks the place were so many people were killed.

At the same place where all these people waited for their death

Antons Mussert, leader of the NSB, was held prison from may 1945 untill may 7 1946.
He was excecuted in the early morning.


The monument in remembrance of the war victims lies before the dune behind which most victims were shot.

It's a simple wall with the inscription: 1940-1945.
At the left a little stone with the text:

At this place many fellow countrymen sacrificed their lives for your freedom.

Enter this place with respect."

Behind the wall four crosses.
The original wooden crosses van be seen in the Fresian Museum of resistance in Leeuwarden.

They were brought there in 1981 when they were replaced by bronce crosses.


An important part of the remembrance service is played by the large bell.

At April 30 1959 the inhabitants of The hague gave the bell as a gift of gratefullness to the councill.
The Bourdonklok, as it is called, is situated behind the crosses.
It has an inscription of prof. mr. R.P. Cleveringa:
I sound in honor and following those who gave their lives to prevent injustice,
to gain freedom and to protect all Dutch spiritual wellbeing.


The bell sounds at the remembranceservice of may 4 while endless rowns of people walk past the monument.


In my town amongst others, is a little memorial at the place where at the begiining of the war a nice school hosted many young children.

The school was bombed and many children were killed with their teachers, and others were traumatised for the rest of their lives.

Some years ago, under the tree, a swing was made in remembrance of the little ones and their teachers.

Here too a memorialservice was held this year.


Interesting is that both old and young people want to keep may 4th as a special day of remembrance to signal loud and clearly: no war!

¶ Wednesday, May 04, 2005 //
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There's life around the computer!!

With one kid in puberty, dealing with autism,
and with one with ADHD and puberty,
our nuthouse isn't complete.
I have 4 others.

It's not as much the children that are the problem, but me, wanting things to be perfect.
Wanting a family that acts normal......

I've been so bussy these last weeks.
Trying to get paperwork to request some help.

Here in town they said to send other forms. Forms used for something different.
Luckily someone I know who lives in another part of the country told me about the forms.
So Jim got them from the part of the country he works.
ofcourse I had to direct him.... (So it's not 6 kids.. it's 7!).

I wish I had more time and a better health.

Well, it's spring and we've had some nice days.
Did a lot in the garden to secure better drainage.
Planted loads of little flowers.
Made a new table for the girls'room,
and did lots and lots more.

In between worked a bit offline on my springsite and was too tired to pay much visits online.

I want my life to be different... but maybe I only want to fullfill the wishes and expectations of others.....

¶ Monday, May 02, 2005 //
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