New Place New Life

New place new life...

So much has happend since my last blog.

And for those who care I will now update you here and write a bit more in detail later. I am now retired and as a retiree I could not afford to stay in London - and maybe I didn't want to either. Though I miss it a lot.

I sold my flat, packed up my animals and too flight to a small village in the South West of France.

Must say retired life is very busy, even if I didn't do a bit of collaboration with some of my old collegues from time to time.

So my blog should not be called London Life Science any more really....but hey who cares...

Adventures and post about living in a tiny French Village will follow.

Cheers

Christmas in Prague 2011

We arrived in style to the hotel. This is a fun luxury hotel, and our room was called the Casanova suite, but it had twin beds!

The whole trip was busy with meetings friends, both old and new, and family members. 

Some time was spent walking the cobbled streets of Prague, and visiting nice glass shops.

We were right in the middle of the funeral ceremonies for Vaclav Havel. Hearing the church bells and the 21 Canon salute. It was sad, so sad.

Christmas eve we had dinner in the hotel, carp with potato salad. 

It was a nice four days in a beautiful city surrounded by wonderful people...

Is this sad year coming to an end?

It is 1st of December, and Christmas time is coming nearer...and I realize I have never had a Christmas without my brother, Marek. How awfully lonely it will be.

I have finished the portrait of Marek, (shown here) it is okay.


My mother and I are going to spend Christmas in Prague - as long as we don't get snowed in...(or out?)

Good bye Michelle...

Sometimes on line friends can be closer friends then those that you know face to face. 

I have a few – can count them on one hand – online friends that I have never met but that I feel very very close to. I also have online friends that I enjoy as friends, and maybe we shall, in future, grow that close. Then I too have friends – very close friends that I met face-to-face and are also on line now. But here I am talking about those – that are close friends, yet we have never met.

One such friend I met through the Unitedcats (UC) page, and later we became Facebook friends as well. Her user name on UC was MichyD. Her real name was Michelle Dias.

She was always there. At first with advice on feline care for those that needed it – always compassionate but never hiding difficult truths. Then her humour came to the front, wicked, funny and yet never hurtful. Through her cat, Sophie, she showed her mastery of the writing art.  

She became the one that I looked forward to seeing on UC or FB. 

I was hoping to meet her on a trip to Canada, maybe next year. To change that online friendship to a face-to-face friendship. 

I know she touched so many many people and helped so many many feline friends.

Her last words personally to me, was to stay safe during the London riots. She was half a year younger than me. 

She has left this world, suddenly and quietly. Leaving a hole that will never be filled, because she was the only one that could fill it. 

One of her most recent contribution to a online UC story was a pirate song that Sophie in the guise of Sophomerta sang – here it is.

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate cat am I.
I pillage your toy box, I rifle and loot.
Drink your cream, me 'earties, yo ho.
We savage your pillows and don't give a hoot.
Drink your cream me 'earties, yo ho.

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate cat am I.
We extort all your prawns and we filch and we snack.
Drink your cream, me 'earties, yo ho.
Maraud your stuff while you’re watching and even highjack.
Drink your cream, me 'earties, yo ho.

Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate cat am I.
We steal all your bedding and even the bed.
Drink your cream, me 'earties, yo ho.
We snarl in your faces and fill you with dread,
Drink your cream, me 'earties, yo ho.

We're rascals and stray cats, we're fierce as a lion.
Drink your cream, me 'earties, yo ho.
With nine lives to live on, we've no fear of dyin'.
Drink your cream, me 'earties, yo ho.

We're demons and fighters and ne'er do-well beasts,
Drink your cream, me 'earties, yo ho.
Aye, and we steal all your kibble and your Fancy Feasts,
Drink your cream, me 'earties, yo ho.
Yo ho, yo ho, a pirate cat am I.

Michelle, you are so so missed by so so many people all over the world, your family, your many many friends and all those felines that you helped and all those that will never know you and lastly but not in the least, by Sophie. Love you my on-line friend.

Sailing on the Pelikaan – 25/07/11 to 39/07/11

Day one:

I was met at Schiphol by Ellis and Gus. We went via their flat to pick up all their luggage and food to the harbour at Monnickendam. We arrived a bit early, but soon the good ship Pelikaan was ready. Pelikaan is a Dehler 36 (10.95m long), built in 2007. It is an old friend, though last year we had the Ijsvogel. 

 

Anyway, the same day, at about 4pm we departed to go to Enkhuizen, Compagnies haven near the Houtribdijk between Markenmeer and Ijselmeer. For me it was the perfect start to get used to the sailing ship as we had no wind! I took her out of the port and motored her all the way there. That was about 20 nautical miles in day one. We arrived about 7.30pm. We also went and had supper at “The Mastenbar”. They have a good collection of whiskeys. 

Day two:

First thing after breakfast that I did was to go and buy a good sailing jacket and trousers as I was sooooo cold the day before. One of the best buys I have done. But at 11am we took off again to go to Den Oever just below the Afsluitdijk. So we crossed the Ijselmeer from bottom to the top. Again we had no wind, and though we tried to sail for a while it didn’t get us anywhere. So we motored, and this time I was warm. We also managed to escape any rain! We arrived in good time, but this time we stayed aboard to eat, and Gus cooked a great tasting supper. 

Day three:

This day started with blue skies and a soft breeze. It was an exciting day. We went through the Afsluitdijk and a bridge and found ourselves on the Waddenzee. Real sea! And straight away we saw a seal. So, selfishly, I gave Gus the steering wheel and took my camera and kept a look out for interesting things. This was a short crossing, only about 13 NMs, but the sun shone, the sea was calm, but there was enough wind to use the sail. First and last day I had my shorts on! Absolutely perfect. In the afternoon we arrived at Oudeschild on Texel. Got a great berthing place. Then went and had a shower and we went for a stroll around the place. Found a good supermarket and a fresh fish market. So did some shopping and later Gus cooked another wonderful meal. But first we also sat at a coffee bar and sampled some of the local produce. Overall a perfect day.

Day four:

We debated about staying for a day on Texel, but with the weather forecast in mind I voted for going on. This was supposed to be the last really sunny day (and so it was) and the wind force was increasing. Though Gus said we should leave later in the day to avoid the high currents in the morning, I pushed through that we should leave early, before the wind became too much. In the end we left early and after leaving the harbour, we stayed, more or less, in the same place for over an hour due to the currents! At last, after another hour of very slows sailing, we escaped the “Texel-triangle”, and made good speed towards Makkum at the other end of the Afsluitdijk. This was by far the longest journey we did, well over 35NMs. Most of it was very good and we did get some good speeds. But it was quite wavy and totally different from the day before, though the sun still shone. In fact for some time there was a good wind force 4 wind.  In Makkum we got an okay berth. We decided to eat out, after a long day no one wants to cook. Had pizza at a nice place. 

Day Five:

Windforce 3 to 4, with some 5. Gray day. Rain in the air. Cold. We get out of the harbour with the idea that we will go to Lelystad. It is also Gus’s birthday. The sailing starts ok. First we only have the fore-sail. The wind is considerable, but as it is from, more or less, behind us, we don’t lean over too much. But the waves! Oh the waves! They are large(ish) and come from the side. The ship skids and slides and you have the feeling that it is being carried wherever the waves decides. But she does slide through and when we add the large sail to it – she settles better into the water. I was quite nervous for some time, and not enjoying this part, so Ellis decides what we should go to Enkhuizen again, rather than Lelystad as it is 15NM closer. In the end the waves get a bit smaller and I am starting to enjoy the trip again. We do 25NM that day from Makkum to Enkhuizen with a peak at 9knots speed. I will never get to Lelystad it seems. Not last year, not this year.....

In Enkhuizen we go back to the “The Mastenbar” to celebrate Gus’s birthday with a 3 course meal and some good wine.

Day Six:

The forecast is even worse, wind force 3-4 with occasional 5. But we decided to sail on. And in the end it is not as bad as day four. The waves are smaller and we make record time from Enkhuizen to Monnickendam. It takes us 4:20 minutes at average speed of 5 knots. Well sailed, great day. In Monnickendam we get the toilet repaired (it was starting to overflow – Yurch!) and go and eat in the "De Ouwe Blauwe" restaurant.  

Day Seven:

I pack first as this is my last day. Ellis and Gus have another week, but I must go home to my dear felines. Then Gus gives me a test day. I and Ellis have to do everything. Thankfully there is very little wind. We do a short sail (just over 4 hours) to the light house and back. Then I have to dock the ship myself. I do ask a lot of questions still, but in the end all goes well. Gus says I have passed....Quick change of cloths and of to Schiphol. At the airport I want to eat something, so we get a pizza, only to find bits of glass in mine. We get our money back and opt for a salad for me and a burger for Gus from Burger King. Then I fly home. Sad to be leaving, though looking forward to seeing Vitia and Vali (my cats).

Marek

I have lost my brother.

And he was the best there is.

We had so much fun together.

He was MY big brother.

I remember when still in Czechoslovakia, a five year old child playing outside with my friends. There was a group of us, and we were talking about our brothers. Each one of us shouting that theirs was the largest, strongest, biggest and best. 

Mine was!

Marek was eight years older than I. But at the same time as being my “big” brother, he loved to play, and boy did we play. We used to play with my collection of Matchbox cars, making a road all the way from the second floor of our house in Holland to the ground floor. No wonder the cars are all chipped! We used to play practical jokes on each other; it just wasn’t safe to put a spoon full of sugar into your tea, without tasting it first. 

He was also my teacher. Even at a very early age, when we were forced to leave our homeland, my parents asked him to teach me Czech grammar. I wasn’t too keen and it didn’t last long. But well into my adulthood, when I send him a letter or a post card, it would come back with corrections in red pen! But I never did mind, as the comments with the corrections would have me in fits of laugher. He also taught me about cooking, how to make various drinks, English bears, punting photography and a load of other things

.

He was also my big brother, with all that entails. There for me when things went wrong. He plucked me out of the sea when a large wave was going to throw me onto some rocks. He was there to pick me up when I fell of my table and cracked my chin open. He was there when I broke my leg skiing, making me laugh all the way to the hospital. 

 He was also my intellectual stimulation. We never fought, but we did have heated discussions about all kinds of things, such as religion, politics, archaeology and science. The fists would bang the table because we wanted to put our point across. Passionate for what we both stood for or believed, each not wanting to give an inch. But it was all fun. And FUN was what he understood so well. 

And even though we did not see eye to eye on many worldly things we also loved many the same things. Apart from good food and wine, we both loved nature and history and he would take me on interesting walks. I loved archaeology and could indulge though him in this interest. He loved science and through me we would explore many possibilities. We loved to tease each other and others as well.

He was MY big brother, and a piece of me is gone with him. I am incomplete. We were three, my brother, my sister and I. That trinity is no more. The Ying and Yang of that relationship is broken. There is nothing that can replace that very empty space that his passing leaves within me. 

He lived life to the full; some have written to me that he lived more than any mere mortal could. He burned brightly, too brightly and burned out his life far too soon. The bright candle that was my brother has been extinguished, but he will live on in all of us. 

Goodbye Marek, I love you.