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IN THIS ISSUE

• Gerrit de Leeuw recalls life as a refugee from the fighting in Arnhem
• Mike DiCola adds to our information about ABBA
• Burke Dykes forwards the story of an unusual flower show entry
• Catherine Green suggests ways of dealing with menopause
• Jack Peaker tells about the Newfie and his diet
• Marilyn Magid forwards a poem about a crabby old man
• Miriam Ockenden tells the story of a clueless mechanic
• Rafiki forwards a tale of an unlikely good Samaritan
• Bruce Galway sends some readings from the Corporate Book of Life
• Don Henderson forwards a story about imperfections
• Sites are suggested by Carol Shoemaker, Jack Peaker, Jay, and Tony Lewis

Gerrit de Leeuw is describing life as refugees after the battle of Arnhem in his

CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

After one week came the order that the city of about 90,000 people had to be evacuated within 24 hours. I don't know who gave the order, but suspect it came from the city administration on orders from the occupying forces. There is still some humanity in war which tries to minimize human loss of life.

With the family we had stayed with the last few days, we loaded the push cart with the most necessary things. Again, I don't know what was loaded, but suspect the last bits of food were on it, as well as blankets and clothing. The only thing I remember was a canning kettle, in which my dad used to salt down some meat he had left in the market. This 'treasure of meat' played a role in our finding accommodation for the first six or seven weeks. It still amazes me how cooperative people are in case of deprivation; I call it the instinct of human survival. Try to imagine a whole town's population on the roads within 24 hours.

On the 24th of September, we left Arnhem with the neighbours, who had two children older than I. This made a group of 12 to find accommodation before dark.

The first day was a fairly short walk about 10 kilometers in distance. We ended up bunking in army barracks located on a small airfield north of Arnhem. It was deserted by the German occupation forces because it was a target for the Allied Forces. All there was were wooden bunk beds, but we were fortunate to have a roof over our heads for the night.

One thing that stands out in my mind is the morning of the 25th of September. It was my dad's birthday. Lo and behold, when I woke up on the higher bunk, I spotted a watch hanging on a spike. It made me very happy and proud to be the only one in the family to have a present for my dad. It being a watch made it extra special. Watches were a valuable item at the time. My dad traded this same watch for some food later on during our time of evacuation, which disappointed me very much. Only as an adult did I realize the necessity for such action and the knowledge that he must have been more hurt by doing this than I was.

The day of his birthday, in the morning, I remember some German soldiers coming in and giving us the order to leave immediately and gave as a reason that the place was going to be blown to pieces. It must have been in anticipation of the Allied forces' advance, which did not happen at that time. They even gave us a time when this was to happen, and happen it did! It makes me think that it was of their own doing, not wanting to leave anything standing which could be of use to the Allied Forces.

Our group was on its way north, with the highway crowded with other evacuees. They all, in some way, must have found their own accommodation, no matter how primitive. I remember there were airplanes in the air, but no fighting. Suddenly one of the airplanes released some kind of tank. It tumbled towards the ground. There was considerable concern and excitement among the travellers, not knowing whether or not it was a bomb. One must consider that this happened among people who had just gone through six days of heavy fighting and subsequent uprooting. In hindsight, I believe that it was a considerate action of a pilot to indicate that there was to be no bombing or attacks.

Our group found accommodation just south of the city of Apeldoorn, located 20 kilometers north of our home town. It was a nice single country dwelling, occupied by two ladies who ran a guest house. I still don't understand why they took us in, but am convinced that the kettle of salted beef my dad had taken played a role in it. One of the ladies was of massive size and sat in front of a wood stove all day. We as kids had the task of whittling down sticks to start her stove in the morning. If they were not small and thin, or dry enough, she sure would complain! My older brother one day did such good job that she kept a sample to show the rest of us how she wanted her kindling.

Food was not plentiful and we often got some which was picked up at a central kitchen. One meal I remember was to be 'whittling Kool Stampot' (a popular Dutch mixture of potatoes and sauerkraut, normally flavoured with smoked sausage and bacon. It came on our plate as thin potato soup, and tasted as if it was potatoes mixed with sour milk instead of sauerkraut. It was easier to drink that eat.

We stayed there about six weeks. The strain of 14 people in one dwelling with one bathroom to share was beginning to show. The finish of the salted beef played a role as well in the need to part ways.

To be continued.

CORRESPONDENCE

Mike DiCola writes: Further to the recent discussion and reminiscences about ABBA, here are a couple more tidbits. Their name derives from the first-name initials of the four members of the group: Anni-Frid, Benny, Bjorn, and Agnetha. Anni-Frid (Lyngstad) has a fascinating story in her biography. Born in Norway during WWII, she was fathered by a German soldier who was a member of the occupying forces and had a brief affair with her mother.

Such children - known in Norway as "Tyskerbarnas", or "German children" - and their mothers were treated with extreme harshness and cruelty by the native Norwegians. Now the few thousand of the survivors who were the outcome of those wartime romances are in the process of trying to obtain some sort of compensation for their appalling childhood treatment for what, obviously, was no fault of their own. This non-musical part of Anni-Frid's story is recounted here: http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/710654/posts

Fans of rock guitarist Eric Clapton might also be interested to know that he has a similar parenting story as well. In his case, his mother was English and his father was Edward Fryer, a Canadian soldier billeted in England during the war, who already had a Canadian wife back home. That part of Clapton's bio appears among the first sentences of his "Simple English" Wikipedia entry here: http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eric_Clapton

Trivia "R" us!

Burke Dykes sends this story about

THE FLOWER SHOW

Two little old ladies were sitting on a park bench outside the local town hall where a flower show was in progress. The thin one leaned over and said, "Life is so darned boring. We never have any fun any more. For $10 I'd take my clothes off and streak through that stupid flower show!"

"You're on!" said the other old lady, holding up a $10 note. The first little old lady slowly fumbled her way out of her clothes and, completely naked, streaked (as fast as an old lady can) through the front door of the flower show.

Waiting outside, her friend soon heard a huge commotion inside the hall, followed by loud applause and shrill whistling. The smiling and naked old lady came through the exit door surrounded by a cheering crowd.

"What happened?" asked her waiting friend.

"I won first prize as Best Dried Arrangement."

Catherine Green writes: This is only amusing to those of us who have left all this behind, but for women before menopause, this could be a valuable resource:

HORMONE HOSTAGE

Dangerous: What´s for dinner?
Safer: Can I help you with dinner?
Safest: Where would you like to go for dinner?
Ultra-safe: Here, have some wine.

Dangerous: Are you wearing that?
Safer: Wow, you sure look good in brown!
Safest: WOW! Look at you!
Ultra-safe: Here, have some wine.

Dangerous: What are you so worked up about?
Safer: Could we be overreacting?
Safest: Here´s my paycheck.
Ultra-safe: Here, have some wine.

Dangerous: Should you be eating that?
Safer: You know, there are a lot of apples left.
Safest: Can I get you a piece of chocolate with that?
Ultra-safe: Here, have some wine.

Dangerous: What did you DO all day?
Safer: I hope you didn´t over-do it today.
Safest: I´ve always loved you in that robe!
Ultra-safe: Here, have some more wine.

Jack Peaker tells about

THE NEWFIE DIET

A Newfie was terribly overweight, so his doctor put him on a diet.

"I want you to eat regularly for two days, then skip a day, and repeat this procedure for two weeks. The next time I see you, you should have lost a few pounds."

When the Newfie returned, he shocked the doctor by having lost 60 pounds.

"Why, that's amazing!" the doctor said, "Did you follow my instructions?"

The Newfie nodded. "I'll tell ya though, by jaesuz, I t'aut I were going to drop dead dat third day."

"From hunger, you mean?"

"No, from the friggin' skippin."

Marilyn Magid forwards this poem, which was originally attributed to a crabby old woman:

CRABBY OLD MAN

What do you see, nurses? What do you see?
What are you thinking when you´re looking at me?
A crabby old man, not very wise,
Uncertain of habit, with faraway eyes?

Who dribbles his food and makes no reply
When you say in a loud voice,"I do wish you´d try!"
Who seems not to notice the things that you do.
And forever is losing a sock or shoe?

Who, resisting or not, lets you do as you will,
With bathing and feeding, the long day to fill?
Is that what you´re thinking? Is that what you see?
Then open your eyes, nurse ... you´re not looking at me.

I´ll tell you who I am as I sit here so still,
As I do at your bidding, as I eat at your will.
I´m a small child of ten, with a father and mother,
Brothers and sisters, who love one another

A young boy of sixteen with wings on his feet
Dreaming that soon now a lover he´ll meet.
A groom soon at twenty; my heart gives a leap
Remembering the vows that I promised to keep.

At twenty-five, now I have young of my own,
Who need me to guide, and a secure happy home.
A man of thirty: my young now grown fast,
Bound to each other with ties that should last.

At forty, my young sons have grown and are gone,
But my woman´s beside me to see I don´t mourn.
At fifty, once more, babies play ´round my knee,
Again, we know children, my loved one and me.

Dark days are upon me ... my wife is now dead.
I look at the future; I shudder with dread,
For my young are all rearing young of their own.
And I think of the years and the love that I´ve known.

I´m now an old man and nature is cruel.
´Tis jest to make old age look like a fool.
The body, it crumbles, grace and vigor depart.
There is now a stone where I once had a heart.

But inside this old carcass a young guy still dwells,
And now and again my battered heart swells.
I remember the joys, I remember the pain,
And I´m loving and living life over again.

I think of the years ... all too few ... gone too fast.
And accept the stark fact that nothing can last.
So open your eyes, people, open and see
Not a crabby old man. Look closer ... see ME!

Miriam Ockenden forwards this story:

PAID BY THE HOUR

When my husband and I arrived at an automobile dealership to pick up our car, we were told the keys had been locked in it.

We went to the service department and found a mechanic working feverishly to unlock the driver's side door. As I watched from the passenger side, I instinctively tried the door handle and discovered that it was unlocked.

"Hey," I announced to the technician, "its open!"

To which he replied, "I know - I already got that side."

Rafiki sends the story of

THE COAT HANGER

A woman was at work when she received a phone call that her small daughter was very sick with a fever. She left her work and stopped by the pharmacy to get some medication. She got back to her car and found that she had locked her keys in the car. She didn't know what to do, so she called home and told the babysitter what had happened. The babysitter told her that the fever was getting worse. She said, "You might find a coat hanger and use it to open the door."

The woman looked around and found an old rusty coat hanger that had been left on the ground, possibly by someone else who at some time had locked their keys in their car. She looked at the hanger and said, "I don't know how to use this." She bowed her head and asked God to send her help.

Within five minutes a beat-up old motorcycle pulled up with a dirty, greasy, bearded man who was wearing an old biker skull rag on his head.

The woman thought, "This is what you sent to help me?" But she was desperate, so she was also very thankful. The man got off of his cycle and asked if he could help.

She said, "Yes, my daughter is very sick. I stopped to get her some medication and I locked my keys in my car. I must get home to her. Please, can you use this hanger to unlock my car?"

He said, "Sure."

He walked over to the car, and in less than a minute the car was opened. She hugged the man and, through her tears, she said, "Thank you so much! You are a very nice man."

The man replied, "Lady, I am not a nice man. I just got out of prison today. I was in prison for car theft and have only been out for about an hour."

The woman hugged the man again and, with sobbing tears, cried out loud, "Oh, Thank you God! You even sent me a professional!"

Bruce Galway forwards this reading from

THE CORPORATE BOOK OF LIFE

Today's reading is from the Book of Corporate Life, Chapter 1, verses 1-15:

1. In the beginning was the Plan.

2. And then came the Assumptions.

3. And the Assumptions were without form.

4. And the Plan was without Substance.

5. And darkness was upon the face of the Workers.

6. And the Workers spoke among themselves saying, "It is a crock of crap and it stinks."

7. And the Workers went unto their Supervisors and said, "It is a crock of dung and we cannot live with the smell."

8. And the Supervisors went unto their Managers saying, "It is a container of organic waste, and it is very strong, such that none may abide by it."

9. And the Managers went unto their Directors, saying, "It is a vessel of fertilizer, and none may abide its strength."

10. And the Directors spoke among themselves, saying to one another, "It contains that which aids plant growth, and it is very strong."

11. And the directors went to the Vice Presidents, saying unto them, "It promotes growth, and it is very powerful."

12. And the Vice Presidents went to the President, saying unto him, "It has very powerful effects."

13. And the President looked upon the Plan and saw that it was good.

14. And the Plan became Policy.

15. And that is how crap happens.

ED. NOTE: This sounds suspiciously like the way government policy is formulated.

Don Henderson sends this story to all his crackpot friends, of whom presumably I am one, so I pass it on to you with the same proviso:

IMPERFECTIONS

An elderly Chinese woman had two large pots, each hung on the end of a pole which she carried across her shoulders. One of the pots had a crack in it while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water. At the end of the long walk from the stream to the house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For a full two years this went on daily, with the woman bringing home only one and a half pots of water.

Of course , the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, but the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it could only do half of what it had been made to do.

After two years of what it perceived to be bitter failure, it spoke to the woman one day by the stream: "I am ashamed of myself, because this crack in my side allows water to leak out."

The old woman smiled, "Did you notice that there are flowers on your side of the path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, so I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back you water them.

"For two years I have been able to pick these beautiful flowers to decorate the table. Without you being just the way you are, there would not be this beauty to grace the house."

Each of us has our own unique flaw, but it's the cracks and flaws we each have that make our lives together so very interesting and rewarding. You've just got to take each person for what they are and look for the good in them.

Remember to smell the flowers on your side of the path!

INTERESTING WEB SITES

Carol Shoemaker suggests a site that illustrates the waste we produce:

http://www.chrisjordan.com/current_set2.php?id=7

Jack Peaker suggests this site for those interested in the UK:

Travel: http://www.geograph.org.uk/

Jay thinks you may be interested in seeing a Smart Car run into a barrier:

http://www.metacafe.com/watch/60538/smart_car_crash/

Tony Lewis, survivor of a triple heart bypass, started a blog in which he recorded his experiences after his operation. He wrote of his confusion following the surgery, and about his struggles and his triumphs. He hopes he can help other people just starting the often overwhelming journey of heart surgery and recovery. To read of his progress and his rehabilitation, go to http://newheartnewstart.blogspot.com

"Good humor is a tonic for mind and body. It is the best antidote for anxiety and depression. It is a business asset. It attracts and keeps friends. It lightens human burdens. It is the direct route to serenity and contentment." - Grenville Kleiser, Author