One whole year of writing weekly missives. Honestly, I didn’t know if I would or could keep this up. I am very happy to have created this record of our personal history, for myself and also for my family. It also has grounded me somewhat as I have managed to focus on what I can control and influence while also being aware of what is concerning in the world because right now, there’s A LOT and I know that people have different ways of coping with what is happening. I don’t know the “right” way, but this seems to help me and I love - I really do love - hearing from people who read this and stay in touch.

I’m also super happy to know that I can count correctly! Day one was November 9th, 2024, even though I first published the week’s round up on November 23 2024. So it looks like I’ve been “behind” this whole time. I am going to do my best to wrap up before the year’s end and then start anew with week one in January 2026. People seem to find it confusing that the weeks don’t match the calendar.

November 3 – Day 360

A BLT as a salad with sliced egg. Simple, yummy and fairly healthy. I was working a lot and didn’t really get a chance to take any “interesting” photos, but did remember to get something snapped.

November 4 – Day 361

I took David and a friend to Efteling - the oldest amusement park in the Netherlands and the inspiration for DisneyLand. David had been asking for over a year to go with his friend and I had bought “cheap” tickets over the summer in a promotion. Our neighbors had given us some great advice years ago to go on a teacher training day during the week because then it is pretty empty and they were mostly right. But I was surprised by how many people where there on a Tuesday during school time. I was also feeling some Mom guilt for having been gone in Portugal, so this was really good for to hang out together and have a fun day. It wasn’t all 100% smooth sailing - nothing ever is - but overall the boys had a great time. I figured out that rides are not so scary if you just close your eyes and feel everything instead of looking at what is coming down the pipeline.

November 5 – Day 362

A took this picture to show a friend of mine where her precious precious gift of Winnie the Pooh sculpture by Malcom Moran ended up on my desk. I look at it while I’m working and reminds me of her and our time together over 20 years ago.

November 6 – Day 363

We had an event at IA HQ in Amsterdam for “World Digital Preservation Day” with the creators of the Internet Phone Book. It went really well and some of our volunteers made a really sweet promotional video of the evening. Click on over.

November 7 – Day 364

It’s beginning to look a lot like…

I love to holiday lights all over the place in the winter in the Netherlands, it somewhat makes up for the lack of natural light during the winter. I like how they don’t immediately come down after the holidays because it’s still quite dark quite early.

November 8 – Day 365

In preparation for getting ready to sell our house in the New Year, I power-washed the front patio. Santi had bought the machine years ago, but we had never used it and the tiles were covered in grit, sand and some lichen. I had a most difficult time getting the machine started and after a frustrating half-hour almost gave up, but persisted and was able to get it to spin up correctly. Our neighbor (who uses his often) came over to help and it was a classic case of EPF (engineer proximity factor) that I had just managed to get it working when he showed up.

Four hours later the tiles were better.

November 9 – Day 366

A much needed day of rest. I was wiped out from the power washer and took a very chill day and forgot to document it!

Santi just shared this video with me after he dreamed about the song. It’s a lovely version and the singer La Mari De Chambao looks like she is in awe singing next to him. I love how her voice combines with his and adds a touch of Spanish style (think Gypsy Kings) to this song.

Tu recuerdo sigue aqui, como un aguacero
Rompe fuerte sobre mi, pero a fuego lento
Quema y moja por igual, y ya no se lo que pensar
Si tu recuerdo me hace bien o me hace mal

Un beso gris, un beso blanco
Todo depende del lugar
Que yo me fui, eso esta claro
Pero tu recuerdo no se va
Siento tus labios en las noches de verano
Ahi estan, cuidandome en mi soledad
Pero a veces me quieren matar

Tu recuerdo sigue aquí, como un aguacero
Rompe fuerte sobre mi, pero a fuego lento
Quema y moja por igual, y ya no se lo que pensar
Si tu recuerdo me hace bien o me hace mal

A veces gris, a veces blanco
Todo depende del lugar
Que tu te fuiste, eso es pasado
Se que te tengo que olvidar
Pero yo le puse una velita a to's mis santos
Ahi esta, pa' que pienses mucho en mi
No dejes de pensar en mi

Tu recuerdo sigue aquí, como un aguacero
Rompe fuerte sobre mi, pero a fuego lento
Quema y moja por igual, y ya no se lo que pensar
Si tu recuerdo me hace bien o me hace mal

(piensa en mí) es antídoto y veneno al corazón
(te hace bien) que quema y moja, que viene y va
(tu donde estas?) atrapado entre los versos y el adiós

Tu recuerdo sigue aqui
Como aguacero de mayo
Rompe fuerte sobre mi
Y cae tan fuerte que hasta me quema hasta la piel
Quema y moja por igual
Y ya no se lo que pensar
Si tu recuerdo me hace bien o me hace mal

Tu recuerdo sigue aqui
Le lo lay lelo lelo
Rompe fuerte sobre mi
Pero que rompe, rompe, el corazón
Quema y moja por igual, se que te tengo que olvidar
Si tu recuerdo me hace bien y me hace mal

Your memory remains here, like a downpour
It breaks strongly over me, but slowly
It burns and wets equally, and I no longer know what to think
Whether your memory does me good or bad

A gray kiss, a white kiss
It all depends on the place
That I left, that's clear
But your memory doesn't go away
I feel your lips on summer nights
They're there, taking care of me in my loneliness
But sometimes they want to kill me

Your memory is still here, like a downpour
It hits me hard, but slowly
It burns and wets me equally, and I no longer know what to think
Whether your memory does me good or bad

Sometimes gray, sometimes white
It all depends on the place
That you left, that's in the past
I know I have to forget you
But I lit a candle for all my saints
There it is, so you'll think about me a lot
Don't stop thinking about me

Your memory is still here, like a downpour.
It hits me hard, but slowly.
It burns and wets me equally, and I no longer know what to think.
Whether your memory does me good or bad.

(Think of me) It's an antidote and poison to the heart.
(It does you good) It burns and wets you, it comes and goes.
(Where are you?) Trapped between verses and goodbye.

Your memory is still here
Like a May downpour
It breaks hard on me
And falls so hard that it even burns my skin
It burns and wets equally
And I no longer know what to think
If your memory does me good or does me harm

Your memory is still here
Le lo lay lelo lelo
It breaks hard over me
But it breaks, breaks, the heart
It burns and wets equally, I know I have to forget you
If your memory does me good and does me harm