Here I am again. Yesterday I was too busy with my birthday activities to make an entry, as I was well remembered by family and friends. Moreover, I had some activities of my own! Namely, treating myself to a new shaving brush of ‘Badger’ hair and to “Canada - An Illustrated History” by Derek Hayes. This revised edition starts with the Indigenous people and concludes with Justin Trudeau!

I tried to show how humanity developed from simple beginnings as conscious beings without the guidance of an instinct, slowly framing their experiences in a framework that included addressing the Divine.

However, first a word on my talk of last Sunday titled “Humanity’s Unfolding”. In spite of my many attempts to develop a theme for my narrative, my material remained disjointed and this showed in the presentation. I tried to show how humanity developed from simple beginnings as conscious beings without the guidance of an instinct, slowly framing their experiences in a framework that included addressing the Divine.

Even as I write this now I can notice that this present statement is already an improvement over what I said in my talk. The material kept morphing, because I think it was not yet formed, due in part to my one week trip to visit my family in The Netherlands. Maybe a short essay will help the coherence of my ideas on this topic of human self development, which includes interaction with the mystery of existence in the past as well as the present.

Yesterday Elisabeth and I met at the Beano where we chatted in the sun and morning coolness. Elisabeth gave a special Walrus publication on Canada’s 150th and some delicious Lindt chocolates as present. Thanks Elisabeth a well considered and appreciated gift. From our coffee meet I stopped by at ‘The Flight Centre’ where Valery my booking agent was on duty. I informed her about the various travel procedures here and at Schiphol as well as the ’priority’ feature of Air Transat for my luggage. She returned the globe to me that I’d lent her showing Australia as ‘New Holland’!
Home again four phone messages awaited me to wit from Els, Tieneke and Herman. I called Tieneke and later called Els and Okkie, among friends too.

At dinner time Shirley came by and we shared our meals at ‘Aida’s’, which is a favourite venue of ours. Shirley gave me a nice card and a copy of Hadfield’s ‘An Astronaut’s Guide to Life’!
After supper I relaxed at home, looking over some cards and gifts taking in the events of the day and that I had become 81 years of age. Time for the next laundry load!
<With coffee and edit now 10:39am.