Planet Nilknarf

May 2011
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 Welcome to Planet Nilknarf!!!

Happy “I Love My Library “ Month

This month, most of our issue will be to dedicated books and all the wonderful discoveries
made at my local library.

As you can see from the cover of our May issue and Birthday Calendar Page, one such book
helped me teach myself the wonderful and exciting art of anime comic drawing! It's been a
thrilling addiction, helping me to see things in new ways. The cover of this month's issue is
actually based on a photograph of real people I know, John Caruso and Vickie Stauffer, riding
the carousel at Boulder River, Montana at last year's National Carousel Association
convention.

The Norman Rockwell calendar given to us last time my husband and I went to Pat & Mikes
Fish & Chips became delightful fodder for my anime drawings too, starting with the front
cover!
I think the kid on the left looks a bit like Eddie Munster, don't you?

Here are some notes I took about the different styles of anime, or manga as it is also called:

Core Genres:
Kodomo- aimed at the very young. (The word “Kodomo” means “child”)
Sometimes the stories have no dialogue, relying on pictures rather than words.

1. Child protagonists who usually have cute, intelligent pets

2. Humourous story lines
3. Simple narratives with themes that can be understood by as wide an audience as
possible
Shonen- aimed at boys between 12 and 18 (The word “Shonen” means “boy”)
 1. Constant, over-the-top action
2. adolescent heroes seeking to be the best they can be
3. quest-based narratives, structured like video games with frequent “Boss battles” and
“levelling up”
Shojo- meaning “Young Girl”, between 7 and 18
1. concentrates on emotions and feelings
2. originally drawn by men but with an explosion of female artists in the 1970's
3. Young female leads, romance, friendship
4. Thought-provoking, not punchy dialogue

Seinen and josei, aimed at adults, first developed in the 1960's. Seinen for men 18 to 25 and
josei for women over 20
1. Protagonists in positions of authority, heads of companies, armed forces, etc.
2. More realistic, less exaggerated characters
3. “Cinematic” dialogue, lending the stories filmic quality
4. Sporadic use of comedy
5. Adult themes including realistic violence.

If you flip back to the beginning of this article you will see two carousel horses I designed
using ideas from a book I borrowed about paper crafts. Even if I don't actually have the time
and resources to do the projects shown in these books I am inspired to use these ideas for
other projects of my own.

Book Review: Flow by Elissa Stein and Susan Kim

You may want to skip this first review if you are easily grossed out or still think of menstruation
as something of a taboo subject. Flow discusses this subject with warmth, humor and
sophistication, from cultural superstitions, to ad campaigns through the ages and beyond.

It's hard to imagine that once there actually was a time before pads and tampons, but there it
was. It's hard to believe what some women used to do during that time of the month, from
rubber aprons worn backward to protect clothing to actually working in factories without
underwear whilst standing knee-deep in straw to catch the flow, being mucked out on a
regular basis not unlike cattle!!!

Even my mom used homemade pads made from rags when she was a teenager growing up
during the war. It was shortly after then that disposable pads began to catch on. You'd think
that making them beltless would be an obvious solution, but beltless pads didn't come into
being until around 1975, just in time for when mine started in 1977!

Through the years various products and brands have come and gone. Modess advertised
their product without mentioning a word about what it was for, whilst promoting the latest in
high couture fashion in order to appeal to affluent clients. I don't think Modess feminine
hygiene products are available anymore but I remember their pads being available in the
vending machines in our school washroom for a nickel. (Or was it a quarter) Not everyone
was using beltless pads yet so these were just your basic pads without adhesive but they
came with a safety pin.

Besides pads and tampons, other products have been introduced and re-introduced. The
menstrual cup, for example, which fits inside the vagina, not unlike a diaphragm. It is still
available on the market but I've never seen it in Canada. While it may be convenient and
reusable, who wants to be seen rinsing theirs out in the sink in the ladies' room. Boys and
girls, can we say “EWWWWWWWWWWW!”

It's also hard to believe but as recently as 1950 people still believed in something called
“hysteria”, a medical condition where the uterus wanders throughout the body of its own free
will in frantic search for a baby! Hello? We all know nowadays that the uterus is firmly
anchored in place at the cervix and if MINE were anything like its cantankerous owner it
would be off on a mad dash going through insane lengths to desperately AVOID anything to
do with babies!!

Since the dawn of time, people began to put two and two together; when a woman didn't
bleed for several months, soon there would be a baby! They also believed that the monthly
bleeding was also a form of cleansing, which is why bloodletting and leeching were common
practices among medieval physicians.

It also said, tongue-in-cheek, that one way to avoid having your period is by being pregnant
as much as possible. Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight! As if. I'd rather stick with my monthly bleeding than
have a houseful of screamers. For me even one is too many.

The book is full of all kinds of interesting advertisements throughout the ages for feminine
hygiene products, pain relievers such as Midol, and even douche. Even though they
discovered that douching really does more harm than good,often by killing the good, friendly
bacteria that protects us, amazingly 40% of women still use it. And believe it or not they even
used to use LYSOL!!! OWIE!! It makes my hoo-hah hurt just thinking about it! X-#

Throughout this book there were also several references to Judy Blume's classic novel “Are
You There God, It's Me Margaret”. My mom bought this book for me when I was in sixth
grade, because my name happens to be Margaret, and so many pre-teen girls owe their
kudos to Judy for teaching us more than any sex education class or assembly presented at
the time, as mentioned in her book. I met Judy in the spring of 1988 when she was giving a
book talk about her newest release at the time, Summer Sisters, and got her to autograph
my well-worn, ancient copy of Margaret. One thing both my mom and I liked best about this
book is that it was so real, so much like the way sixth graders of our generation actually think
and talk. To think several parents have tried to get schools to actually ban this book!
I remember what a mysterious and exciting time that was in my own life, waiting for the first
monthly visit, and I actually emailed Judy Blume not long ago with the idea of writing a sequel
about Margaret and her friends about 35 years later when they're going through menopause.
She wasn't interested in writing a sequel, however, I wonder what she'd think if I offered to
write it and share the royalties with her.

Strangely enough, I came across this book in the library when I was actually looking for
another book with the word “Flow” in its title.

And this is is...or close to it anyway....

Finding Flow:The psychology of engagement with everyday life. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi is the author of a book called “Flow” that my teacher was telling me
about. He is also the author of “Creativity” which is a book I happen to own that I bought a
couple years ago at the big book sale they often have at Union Station. My teacher was telling
me that Mr. C, as I shall call him from here on, is also a psychiatrist who generally detests the
profession and its tendency to pump its patients full of medication.

“Finding Flow” is about finding enjoyment in a variety of tasks, everyday and otherwise. It is
about those moments of being in your element when nothing else matters but the task at
hand. People who are creative and resourceful can find flow in just about any situation, but
are generally happiest when they are using their creative talents.

This book mentions that Linus Pauling had the most amazing attitude. He could find
enjoyment in just about everything he did so he was never bored. When asked what his
secret to life was, he simply responded that he just did everything he liked. And he liked
everything he did, no matter how seemingly mundane! He always had a steady stream of
assorted odd jobs to keep him busy.

From this book I have also gleaned an amazing New Favorite Word; “Autotelic”!! At the risk of
sounding like I am boasting, I am happy and proud to say that I have an autotelic personality.
A person who is autotelic is seldom bored. That's because a person who is autotelic is
creative and resourceful and does not need things like TV to be happy. Autotelic personalities
get more enjoyment out of things such as hobbies and have a genuine thirst for knowledge.

There's more but it's kind of hard to explain. You're best just to read it for yourself.
Women from Another Planet? by Jean Kearns-Miller and Aspergirls by Rudy Simone

Both these books are about a subject which is very important to me; women with Asperger's
Syndrome. Mainly because I happen to be one.

Our first book in this category might be available at our library, but I didn't get it from there.
This falls into the category of One of Those Annoying Books That is Always Disappearing!
Maybe I unconsciously kept misplacing it because I didn't want to give it back just yet! Shame
on me! I borrowed this book from Kerry's Place almost two years ago, just before I left for
Sandusky, and read it on the bus. And, shortly after I finished reading it, it disappeared among
the clutter in my room, only to turn up again just before my last trip, when I went to
Washington.

But enough about what this book has been to as opposed to what this book means to me.
Women from another Planet is a collection of short stories, even a few poems, all written by
women with Asperger's Syndrome, who have freely shared their experiences in life. Some, lie
me, hadn't been diagnosed until adulthood, some of them after finding out their own children
had Asperger's Syndrome. Many of them write about the challenges of living with Asperger's
Syndrome, from school, to sensory issues and even parenting. One woman writes about her
son who cried all the time until she figured out how to relate to him. I have to admire her
patience and nerves of steel. I shudder to think what I would have done in her situation.
Another talks about trying for years to understand neurotypicals (non-autistics) only to find out
that most of the time they basically talk about NOTHING anyway!

Aspergirls has practical tips for both individuals on the spectrum and their parents. It deals
with a variety of subjects, including dating and sexuality, as well as being prepared for that
time of the month. It also touches on the subject of selective mutism. Selective mutism is the
tendency to simply stop speaking when stressed or traumatized. Some autistics are non-
verbal but some of us on the spectrum, when stressed or traumatized my stop speaking for
even a few days. I suffer from it to a much lesser degree. I tend to clam up when shocked or
insulted. I go blank and don't think of the right words to defend myself until at least a day or
two later. I don't know if this actually is mutism or not as much as it could be something akin to
stage-fright. There is an excellent chapter about sensory overload, and how t deal with and
prevent meltdowns.

This book also mentions a variety of strategies, some of which I've actually already been
doing myself such as bringing my ear plugs and Walkman or iPod shopping, as well as
wearing sunglasses and/or a hat to deal with visual input. I've never actually had issues with
florescent lighting but I do detest too much sunlight.

All in all I recommend both these books as well worth reading.

Fodor's Essential Italy

“Are you going to Italy?” people have asked me in waiting rooms and other places when they
see me reading this book. Nothing like a good travel guide to use as an ice-breaker!

“No, but I wish I was.” I usually reply. The student who was at my psychiatrists' office, having
seen me with this book proceeded to mention that she'd spent a couple days there, and, of
course, my teacher and her family are from Italy so she has been there many times.

You could say that Essential Italy is a book written for tourists by tourists, but it is a whole lot
more than just that. The team efforts that created this book are those of writers and journalists
who have actually lived there for quite some time and experienced Italy to its fullest!

This book is full of interesting facts. For one, I bet you didn't know that Michelangelo's David
was actually built to be looked down at from high upon a hill. During the Renaissance, much
attention was given to detail and realistic proportions, however, if you look carefully, you will
notice that David has a slightly larger head than normal, long arms and huge hands! That's
how he was created in light of the perspective he was originally intended to be seen from.

Also note that most hotels do not provide soap and/or wash cloths. You have to bring your
own. In the rare event that any place in Italy has soap, it's usually one small bar that has to
last through your entire stay.

Essential Italy will show you the best places to stay over night complete with pros and cons.
There is a convent that provides reasonably priced rooms, if you don't mind going without
television, and another place that actually lends out bicycles for free.

You will also discover that REAL Italian pizza is totally different from the pizza served here in
Canada and the States. My teacher can attest for that. She remembers having it when she
was a kid and being disappointed that there was no cheese. However, pizza in Italy pretty
much has just about everything else you can think of, including seafood. In fact the photo I the
book shows one that appears to have EGGS! And that's no yolk! (Sorry, couldn't resist the
bad pun).

There is a saying in Italy; most of the meals you get are excellent, the rest are even more
amazing! Or something like that anyway. If you enjoy good food, Italy is the place to go. And
Bologna is the best place for pasta dinners. Every place has its regional delicacies including
TRIPE! I've tried tripe before and I didn't like it. I don't think I'd be adventurous enough to try
tripe again anytime soon even though they say their tripe sandwiches are so good that
anyone who thinks they don't like tripe will enjoy these!

Italy is so big with so much to see, you can't see it all in one trip. Therefore they strongly
recommend tossing a coin into the Trevi fountain! Pretty much everyone who throws a coin
into the Trevi fountain, making a wish to return to Italy, usually ends up doing so. Plus the
Trevi fountain is so beautiful I wish I could get a good look at it for myself with all its gorgeous
hippocampuses! (Hippocampi?)

Motherland Maria Beaumont

Can a burnt-out and disillusioned voice-over artist and mother of two who compares herself to
all the other seemingly perfect moms find hope again after finding out her husband is having
an affair? Two of her best friends are pregnant and one of them has been offered a part in a
movie. As Fran's 37th birthday approaches, she battles a slight drinking problem, and one of
her kids at school is accused of being “racist” just because of one of her cartoon catch-
phrases he chose to emulate. Her son tries out for a prestigious soccer team only to be told
he's too small. Story of his life! :( Their trip to Euro Disney was pretty much ruined because he
was too little for all the rides he wished he could go on! She is also faced with a rather boring
kiosk to look after at the school carnival. How will she raise the funds if nobody wants to hook-
a-duck? Find out in Motherland!
 From the Merry (Go-Round?) Mind of Margaret Franklin

Greetings and salutations gentle readers, friends and kindred spirits from near and far. I hope that you
are all doing well this month and that you've enjoyed my selection of book reviews in this issue.
Reading books on a variety of subjects has been a good way for me to expand my horizons, learn
about as many new things as possible and keep my sanity throughout this wild and crazy, highly
emotional time.

In case you haven't read the April issue, my mom passed away on March 14th. She had been ill for at
least a month or two but still her death was very much a shock to all of us who knew and loved her
and she will be greatly missed. At least we know she isn't suffering anymore and she is in a better
place and I look forward to being reunited with her and dad when I am in heaven.

I spent the first few days in a comfortably numb state of shock. I was even feeling confident enough to
think I ought to learn to drive in case I get to keep my mom's car! HELLO?! Me??!! Learn to DRIVE?
What was I thinking???! This is so NOT me! When it comes to the idea of driving I'm usually a total
chicken-shit!!! I guess I might have even been having something of a mini manic episode at the time.

Then the floodgates really burst the following Friday when I went karaoke singing and dedicated
Celine Dion's “My Heart Will Go On” to her. The following Monday I had such a meltdown my poor
hubby was scared he might have to get me to the hospital.

That was probably the worst of it all. Thank God that part's over. Still, I had to face the inevitable chore
of going to my mother's estate not only for the reading of the will but to help her executor, my Aunt
Anne's sister, Jean, sort out my mom's belongings.

I am so thankful that Janette came to stay with me that weekend. She met me at my place on Friday,
March 25th, having taken the train from Toronto to Oshawa. Then Ted and Marnie picked us up and
drove us the rest of the way to Bobcaygeon.

When we arrived we were greeted by Jean who was in the kitchen heating up a nice beef casserole
for us. It was good to arrive at my mother's house to a nice hot meal.

After supper, Janette and I went into what used to be my old room. I haven't slept there in years.
Some time while I was living in Toronto, mom got rid of my bed and totally took over this room as her
sewing room. I remember all the good times Janette and I used to have here, listening to Culture Club
records when she was still in college and when Della and her friend Lisa came to visit from England.

Now there was tons of fabric to sort through. I couldn't believe my eyes! Even plenty of pink and brown
fabric for dolls! And plenty of creamy linen for embroidery! There was even a huge stash of embroidery
thread! I can't believe my mom had all this stuff! There were even ribbon roses! You know how I've
been busting my ass combing the dollar stores for this kind of thing!!! Now I'll have plenty of supplies
for quilts, dolls and carousel horses to last me for quite some time. Stuffing too! I selected what I
wanted and put it into a plastic bag and a large, blue plastic bin.

Then Janette and I just enjoyed a quiet evening sitting in the living room chatting and stitching. It's
funny, we brought all kinds of movies with us to watch but we just felt like enjoying this peaceful time.

In my mom's room I selected at least four pairs of fabulous shoes that fit me perfectly! Five if you
count the navy blue sneakers! I picked out three different pairs of comfy Birkenstock-type sandals and
a pair of charcoal gray low-heeled pumps.

It's funny, I thought it was going to be really weird being at my mom's place for this one last time. I
thought I was going to feel really tense and cry a lot. I only cried a few short times, but that was only
natural. The first was when I discovered her gift box of Oscar DeLaRenta products my husband and I
gave her for her last Christmas that she never got to use. I suppose I could have taken them back but
I don't really use perfumes or creams. Most scents make me sneeze nowadays.

I didn't think I'd be able to sleep in my mother's bed either. At first I thought it would be sacred and off-
limits. But once I was in the room I felt like I'd be okay with the idea after all. Janette took the bed in
the guest room. Unfortunately, that first night when I tried to sleep I could NOT get comfortable! Mom's
bed felt hard as a rock! I ended up crashing next to Janette and dozing off into an exhausted slumber.
Just like when we were kids!

The weekend went by in a blur. At some point we went around the premises and shot some video
footage including this one:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KZq1Eyqcb10

Excuse me if I babble incoherently or miss details. You'll understand that this has been quite an
emotional time for me. The house is probably considerably emptier since this footage was filmed. The
grandfather clock was the first thing to go. A man came along and bought it along with a few other
things.

Since the last time I'd visited mom she had a new oven which I didn't know how to work, so on
Saturday night Janette and I just pigged out on a pile of sandwiches I made. I prepared three different
kinds of filling; salmon, tuna and clam. I couldn't find any kind of mayonnaise so I mixed each type of
filling with a different type of salad dressing. There were at least half a dozen different kinds in mom's
fridge. There was also a brief moment of frustration when I couldn't fined “the F***ing can opener!”
Janette was recording music from the cassette deck to her iPod when she picked up that bit of drama!

I was going to sleep in the guest room with Janette on Saturday night too. She showed me some of
the video footage she'd filmed last year when she and Mark were at Niagara Falls together. This time I
could not get to sleep because I needed more elbow room, so I went to sleep in my mom's bed after
all.

Unfortunately I woke up around 2:30 in the morning with the stomach ache from hell! I even had to
throw up! And there was nothing to take for it in my mom's medicine cabinet! I was kind of ticked off
when Jean said there had been Tums but she threw them out because they were past the expiry date.
Good thing I'd phoned Dave asking me to bring stomach meds when he came, as well as my own
meds and my yellow address book.

Janette stayed with me until Sunday when Ted and Marnie brought Dave and I had to cook supper for
everyone. I am SO NOT used to cooking for that many people anymore. When I hosted parties in my
old apartment, they were much more informal;. In those days I made a hamburger-and-pasta
casserole the night before that I would just keep in the fridge and throw in the oven when guests
arrived and they could help themselves whenever they wanted. At least I had plenty of help in the
kitchen on Sunday night, preparing chicken breasts in the oven with tomato sauce as we also cooked
penne pasta and peas. I'm not used to being around so many people on my turf anymore so I felt like
a regular fish out of water!!

Speaking of fish, I had a rather interesting surprise when I was going through my old report cards. I
came across one of my gym report cards and it said that I had an “A” in Jazz dance and a “B” in Diving
and Synchronized Swim! An “A” in Jazz? Me Dance? I've got two left feet! Still, I remember having to
choreograph my own routine to E.L.O's “I'm Alive” from the Xanadu soundtrack and winging it at the
last minute. Napoleon Dynamite, Eat your heart out! As for Diving and Synchro...ME??? DIVE?!! I
hon3estly can't remember a time when I was ever able to jump into the water WITHOUT holding my
nose! I hate getting water up my nose! But I LOVE swimming and once I'm in the water I'm a regular
fish!!

I stayed at my mom's place for a few extra days and Jean put me to work HARD!!! Mike and Bonnie
dropped by to buy the shuffleboard game that my dad had made. I wanted to invite them for
sandwiches and coffee. But Jean insisted that this was NOT a time for socializing. For awhile there I
felt like a prisoner.

I was so thankful when Lorraine came to pick me up on Tuesday morning and we went out for lunch
together. We went to this nice little pub on the main street in Bobcaygeon and she showed me this
amazing project she has for me. Years ago I sold her several T-shirts and she wore them until she
wore them right out! So she cut the artwork off the front of each shirt and I am going to be mounting
three carousel animals on a wall-hanging!

I will probably iron them onto some stiffener and applique them to a background of that nice
embroidery linen and frame them with solid blue and blue-and-white striped fabric and no doubt I will
surely post a picture of the finished product in a future issue of Planet Nilknarf,

CORRECTION: In the April issue of Planet Nilknarf it says that my surgery was on March 25th, when in
fact it was on FEBRUARY 25th! Please excuse my mistake! Pobody's Nerfect! (blush!)

Anyway, Jean's husband, Joe drove me back to Oshawa on Wednesday, March the 30th and I was
good and ready to go back to school on Thursday and I'm ever so glad to be back into my routine. No
doubt it will probably take longer to unpack and organize everything than it did to pack it all up in the
first place. The first thing I unpacked, after clearing space on the shelf for them, was my collection of
Franklin Mint carousel animals. Mom bought them from me when I moved to Toronto. I was going to
sell them anyway, but mom knew I didn't want to part with them even though I needed the money, so
she kept them in the family for this inevitable day.

As you can see, my KISS action figures have made themselves right at home. Paul is riding the Illions
American Beauty Rose Horse, Ace is on the Looff “Fruit Salad” horse, Eric is on a Looff elephant and
Gene is riding a Herschell-Spillman pig. “Why a pig?” you may ask. Ironically, the pig had the smallest
rump in order to accommodate the cape Gene is wearing. Everything else I tried to get him to ride it
looked more like he was trying to hump 'em, go figure!!!

Adventures of the Traveling Dolls

Left: With random objects on mom's kitchen table! Right: when we were told to make ourselves scarce
while the real estate people were at the house we went to the Horseless Carriage antique place where
we posed the dolls on this horse-drawn tractor.
Life imitates art and vice-versa: Left: the dolls on mom's window sill trying on wooden shoes, Right:
the biggest traveling doll of all (D'awwww!) My Dad in Holland!!!

Speaking of wooden shoes, when I was going through my mom's stuff I came across the following
gem: So I copied it out to share in here...

Mom and Dad's Excellent Adventure

Written by Bertje “Bep” Hurd
Compiled and Edited by Margaret Franklin

Editor's Note: I found this story in one of the photo albums when I was going through all the
stuff at my parents' estate. This is my mom's account of the trip to Holland she and Dad took
for their 25th wedding anniversary back in 1987.

Sunday we rested up. Sorted many of mother's letters and pictures. In the afternoon we went
to Boskoop to Peter and Marjolein for tea. We looked over the tree nursery which was very
interesting.

Monday we took it easy, went into town and did some shopping. In the evening we went to
Arnold's birthday party he held like other years in a community hall in Polsbroeker Dam. The
lovely weather had changed into a downpour for hours on end. The trip to that place was like
something out of the Twilight Zone. A glistening black road carved between two deep ditches
full of water. No markings, no light.

But we got there. The party was fun. The drinks, snacks and the old friends were just a treat.
Arnold got lots of presents. Bottles of gin, tobacco, a broom and rake, the sweater I brought
from Holland fitted perfect and he liked it.
That night we stayed with Leen and Gre. Les went to Belgium with Leen. He had to take a
load of reed there for a house that was built right across a cemetery. It had to cost
somewhere around a million dollars. It was about 2/3 through Belgium towards France. It was
all very interesting but Les preferred Holland over Belgium. Cleaner, less confusing, etc.

I stayed with Gre, cleaned a pail-full of green beans. 9 people had to be fed. Made up 7 beds.
It was nice talking to Gre when you have a busy family like that. There is always something
new.

Linda got hurt that day at work. A fork-lift truck swooped her heel and bruised her Achilles
tendon.

We had another bad night sleeping so we went home on bus and train. It was something else
again. The transportation in Holland is very good, modern and fast. Everywhere you can buy
flowers. They do mar things up with graffiti what is too bad. It is not as bad as the time before
I went to Holland.

Les thinks he is getting a cold. I think he is just tired or smelled too much manure. That's often
very overbearing in Holland. Cities and towns are so close together that farmers are cramped
between them and where farms are there are smells.

The weather was awful for one night. The wind howled and hail and rain pelted. England had
the brunt of it. It was nice and cozy sleeping.

Today, October 8. We are keeping quiet. Les is reading. I went shopping with sister. Bought
games for great niece and nephew. Have to wrap a couple of things yet. If you buy something
here and say it is a present, they wrap it for you. This afternoon Mrs. Ida Vlasblom came for a
visit. Nice lady. We are planning trip up north tomorrow.

Friday, October 9th

Well getting ready for the trip. A long one this time. First we went direction Amsterdam to visit
the Aviadome. It was first planes and men trying to fly rigged out in various costumes to the
latest rocket flights. The insides and outsides of planes. I always thought the cockpit of a jet
larger. They had no postcards or film for sale so we have to do only with the memories of it.
After a few hours looking at everything we went northwards and stopped at an open air
museum called De Zannse Schans. A museum of old Dutch mills, stores and houses. Across
the river or better canal all the houses kept out the outside in its original state the inside
modernized or kept old with modern plumbing.

First we were dying for coffee and we had coffee and a MEAL of Black Forest cake! There is
only one thing wrong in Holland; the size of coffee or tea cups. They hold about two ounces
and the price is steep, very steep.

We went to the restored mills which are still functioning, one grinding powders for making
natural dyes and paints, a wood mill and a gain mill. The view was fantastic. There was an
odor in the air of lemon and cocoa at the plant for products derived from cocoa and lemon are
near there in Zaandam. Also a famous chocolate candy factory. Peter took a duivenc(?) after,
a very lovely lemon bread. It was called bread, had the texture of cake.
Les bought a plan for a windmill. I bought some cards and we spend time in a clock museum.

The park like setting is often used for pictures of weddings. The green and white houses are
picturesque. The photographer owns a Rolls Royce and the fun begins. We watched part of
the session while we ate fresh herring on a stall. I also bought the biggest, fattest steamed
mackerel I had seen in a long time.

It was a very nice stopover then upwards to Heerhugowaard to Leny and Jan. We were there
about 4:30. After a hearty welcome we had a few drinks and got to the supper table. Leny had
bought fish and we had a lovely meal. We played sjolen (Editor's note: I think she means that
wooden shuffleboard game with the pucks) that night. Hadn't played that for at least 40 years.
We (Les & I) had a great time. We slept that night in a nice bed. Les and Jan got up first and
went for a walk. Had after that a hearty breakfast from the Hoorn, a larger town a half hour
drive from Heerhugowaard. It is a beautiful old town. I could have stayed there for a week!
The fronts of many buildings and buildings themselves awesome in old beauty. It was
Saturday Market. It was so simple to get rid of your money. Bought lots of postcards and
beads. And o boy the stuff I did NOT buy!!

We went for coffee to an old renovated house. The restroom was very “quaint”. You went
through tow doors before the throne. This was so close to the door your feet fitted just
between and you better sit straight up other wise you'll bang your head as I did. Funny thing
about Dutch washrooms, every time you went somewhere you must find another gadget,
button, pull or push to flush it.

We went 3 ½ hours sight-seeing. The harbor is something else. Imagine the sky Dutch blue
and billowing clouds and gray water with masts on ships, yachts and sail boats and on
thousands of them! They love sailing and fishing in Holland. On the walls there are sculptures
of fisherboys whom are famous for a book that has been written about them and that era. The
gate has the gun holes in it. It was to defend the city of Hoorn. There were the “Grachten”
never changed. Everything well-preserved and whenever restored.

About 2:30 we went back to get Leny and Eveline home. Had lunch and then we must leave
for the next stop. Ina and Dick. Kees and Leny whom live on route weren't home. We went via
the Afsluitdyk which goes across the Ysselmeer. We saw the fishermen setting out and
dragging in eel nets. They have a big boat where they load the catch in and get into a smaller,
some kind of row boat to tend to their nets. Also scores of windsurfers. As long as the cold is
bearable, the Dutch go windsurfing. The world championships were held the following week.

The dyke seemed even longer than before. I was very tired. Les dozed off and I tried to keep
my eyes open. Anyhow, we came to Dick and Ina, had a lovely super of nasigoreng. They
have a beautiful home just built was in the last stages of finishing. We slept in what was to be
the study room on tow folding cots. Was not too bad. The house is one of the nicest I've been
in in Holland or Canada. We waited for Dick, tried out Peter's new car. He is the older brother,
you see.

We went to see Appingendam where they live. Very old again, quiet as a mouse. Very few
people were about. We walked through the main street and all kinds of small streets showed
a site of land where a complete village had been flattened to the ground. The old church
stood there in ruins. They were still debating what to do with it. It was the village where Ina
was born. The graveyard ended up in the middle of a dyke and it had to be moved to
somewhere else. The land was meant for industry but recession set in and it was scrapped so
far.

Sunday afternoon we went for a walk on the other side of where Dick and Ina live. We went
with In a and Carientje. Everybody it seemed go out for walks and a cup of afternoon tea in
Holland. Another night to sleep on our cots. The night before we made some pictures and had
a drink. Dick and Ina said I was the aunt who visited them the most, which is funny. Come
down to it, Dick hasn't got many aunts and uncles.

Monday Morning. Climbed into the Volvo and Peter drove us to Harderwijk. Have lost track of
time or dates. We went to brother Jo and wife Tryntje. It just teemed rain but after that we
haven't had rain.

Peter stayed till after dinner. Wout, Ina and the two children came. Beautiful children. No. 3
since then. Played with Les putting hats on and off, babbling a blue streak to him. It didn't
matter whether he understood. We had a few busy days. Les and Joh did some bike riding all
around there. Joh very annoyed that he couldn't speak more and better English to Les. But
somehow they managed.

In the afternoon I went to visit Ann Haas. Had coffee with her at 10:00 in the morning. Must
have made four trips to the little plaza there. In the afternoon I went to Klaas and Lies and Joh
went to St. Loo which is the palace which is a museum now after Queen Wilhelmina died. It
was awesome. Too little time to see it all properly. The gardens alone you could spend days! I
saw my friends and had a good talk. We exchanged anniversary presents. Too soon we left
for Harderwijk. After kilometers of driving Joh all of a sudden said “This is as far as the
Queen's Property goes.”

We slept this time in Joh and Tryn's bed which was quite all right another night. Played Joker
with Tryntje. Spruce up the old game. Next day went to see town. The night before we met
Janke and friend. This one's supposed to be the right one. We went to see the city museum.
Was fascinating. Bought a book in the book store. In the afternoon Les and Joh went for a
shorter bike ride. After supper Joh drove us “home”.

Next day we must rest up. I contracted a bout of bronchitis and before I get into a terrible
cough state I decided to just do nice and easy.

Friday. Hey I remember today is Friday.

We went shopping in separate ways. In the afternoon we went to Bergen Op Zoom Saw the
Canadian Military Cemetery. We spend there some time. It looks well kept. After that we went
back to Bergen Op Zoom. Had coffee in another old restaurant. Went shopping in the Hema
across the street with Geertje and Piet.

Bought many interesting stockings. After that we went to Scherpenisse to the Qeeuwse
family. First to Johanna and Jan. Too bad Les can't understand what goes on. The dialect is
kind of hard to follow and the expressions priceless. They must take pictures and gave us a
tin. Boterballen. We had coffee and loud conversation.
Then we must see the brothers. When we drove into the street people either looked through
their windows or stepped out of their doors to see who came to visit the boys. They had
pancake supper for us. They were delicious. After that coffee and cookies and they showed
us all the things they collect for collecting sake. A room full o f new books they didn't read.
They had three bedrooms of which they used one. They were thrilled to bits to see us. I've
known these people since I was 12 years old. We went home and were there around 10:30.

Saturday
Peter Treated us to the Deltaworks. It was almost finished. They are a set of dykes, sluices
and locks you must see to understand. We went first to an island from where they built and
ruled everything. It was called Neeltje Schans. They had a lookout tower was turned in a
“see and learn” place. All how and why the dykes were laid. We went in along and under the
dyke, walked miles, went on a boat tour to see the bottom part of it. The tide would come in
and out and with it flocks of seagulls catching fish and other morsels. It was a very
educational afternoon and a project the Dutch can be proud of.

After being brought back on a bus over a bridge which is to be dismantled when the dyke is
open, we went back into the car and then to Zierikzee to find a restaurant. We had a hard
time to find parking space. Found a restaurant and had Indonesian-Chinese food. Heineken
beer. It took long enough before we were served and had dinner. It was delicious and
expensive, but we were getting used to that. From there we went another way again to
Rotterdam. From there to Flaardingen nest to Rotterdam to visit niece Ella, she is a baby
doctor and very busy. We had a lovely visit in her own home. Had just split form her husband.
Her son played the piano for us. He is marvelous on that instrument, goes to some kind of
college. After that we went home.
In Zierikzee we saw a church started by the family Feldermans. It was to be the highest,
biggest church, four enormous storeys up. They ran out of money or something or business
wasn't right. Feldermans sometime in the 1780's. The church is huge but the architecture is
all out of place like a replica of all the buildings and churches he had seen on his travels
thrown together. Anyhow the tower stands separate from the church. We looked it over on all
sides before we went to the restaurant.

From Vlaardingen we went home we were there at the stroke of midnight.

Our last Sunday came. The time went so fast. Only 4 days until home-going time.

In the morning Marjolein and Peter and the two sons came for coffee after church. Then we
had a hot dinner and Peter took us out for a drive. We visited Rykje and Cor via the Lekdyk.
The view is gorgeous. You overlook the country because the dykes are high. They are narrow.
You hope you don't meet anyone. We turned down in I think Jaarsveld and went over some
more narrow roads to see cousin Rykje. Les, Peter and cousin Johan went for a long walk
while I showed the pictures and talked and talked. After that visit was passed, Peter took us
past Polsbroek where behind the church is the graveyard. Arnold told me that he was going to
scrub the headstone from there. It didn't look very nice.

From there we went to see Leen and Gre. Only the children were home. Linda's ankle on the
mend. Sick and tired of hanging around then back home.

Monday friends came and an old man whom I used to know 35 years ago. Took a picture of
him because of the lovely chair. Told me everything many times over.

Tuesday we went shopping and thinking about packing. Leen came in the evening to say
goodbye. He began to talk when he came in and 12 o'clock with the doorknob in his hand he
was still telling stories about his most interesting life. It was too bad that it had to pass Les
most of it. I couldn't keep up translating.

Wednesday Arnold and Gre came to say goodbye and the phone rang often. After they left
we decided to go and see a large nursery in Zoetermeer. It was lovely. The walk to it was an
adventure by itself. It is the busiest small road to Zoetermeer in Holland. You had to walk 8in
single file not to be pushed off by cars or bikes. The nursery was beautiful, getting into the
Christmas sales. We picked out all kinds of flowers and plants for my sister and a hibiscus
flower for Marjolein. We walked back. But this time we had to walk the waterside. I did not like
it one bit. The walk was uneven and by the time we were home I was exhausted.

Well last night in Holland. Everything checked, packed. Plane is not going to wait. Peter took
us to the airport with Geertje. Said goodbye. He went almost direct back because he was to
put some more time in. The flight back did not give us any trouble. The seating was this time
in the mid-ship of the plane. Our travel companions were very interesting. Lived in Chatham.
We didn't say goodbye. Lost them in the shuffle going out.

From here on everything was perfect. When we were to go to Lindsay everything went awful.
It rained and the lady whom had to drive us to Lindsay lost her car! After retrieving it, we
missed Mike in Lindsay. But it is all water under the bridge. We were home 11:00 and rolled
about 3:00 into bed. Good old bed!

There are many things I haven't mentioned. They come back later. We saw the North Sea.
Big deal. Sure is when you climb a small path on and over a dune. More road signs who
weren't invented before. Sound barriers in front of apartments and houses which looked
almost like overhangs that went on for kilometers. Flowers and odd trees I had forgotten. And
nobody could tell me what they were called. Monkey-tree. I am sure that was not right. But
who cares. A passenger who had 3 or 4 generations of women with him all looking alike. They
looked Eskimo or Indian. He was white. The lady who kept the toilet door open in the plane.
There is always something funny. That is what a trip is for.

The end.
 Dawn's Poem
I would also like to share this poem written by our good friend Dawn Durrant who passed
away from cancer about a year ago already. She gave this to me years ago, shortly after we
first met. Back then I used to write songs and she asked me if I could set this to music. Well, I
never did get around to making this into a song, but at least her memory will live on in this
little treasure:

We have a bond that can never be broken

No matter how far apart we may be
Whether across the land of over the sea
You will always be precious to me
For the bond that binds us together, my friend
Is a tie that will never fade
No matter how fast the days may pass
Or the years fly away
And the name of this bond is love my friend
The name of this bond is love

Dawn Durrant. 01/89

 Wooden Shoe Like IT????
This month's recent edition of “Travelling Dolls”, not to mention going through all my mom's
stuff at her place has given me a very interesting idea for a new column starting in next
month's issue of Planet Nilknarf.

Being of Dutch descent, I have come across an astounding number of family photos of
people, including myself, wearing wooden shoes! This inspired me to start a new regular
column entitled “Wooden Shoe Like It?” This column will simply consist of pictures of me, all
my friends, readers, your friends and family, even pets and dolls wearing WOODEN SHOES!!

I sent an email to CBC radio's Saturday program “Definitely Not The Opera” telling them
about this idea because the subject of their most recent episode at the time was shoes. I
thought this would be a fun way to keep my mom's memory alive and celebrate the Dutch half
of my heritage with my beloved following of readers.

Participants are welcome to either post pics of themselves in their klompen in the Planet
Nilknarf group on Facebook or email them to me at nilknarf64@sympatico.ca

I also welcome pictures of costumes, windmills, barrel organs or anything Dutch. The first
installment will be in next month's issue.

Ewetopia