IT IS A MIRACLE

Miriam's Sarah Cake

 Last year Miriam turned 50 and I followed the Dutch tradition of making her a Sarah cake. It was massive.

Bart and Miriam at 50th birthday party

Tomorrow she'll be 51.  It will be a quiet day with friends popping in.   Today her birthday was celebrated at the Learning Centre.  As Miriam now has been diagnosed with Coeliac Disease I made two large cakes for the party today, one Gluten Free chocolate cake and the other a Full of Gluten marble cake, both made with gorgeous Dutch cocoa.  It seems they did turn out all right.

 Wonderful news!  Today the ODT printed a short news item on progress made to keep the Dunedin Community Learning Centre open. 

 What a relief to know that they're on their way again for at least the next few months and hopefully for another year and more.  One worry less.  Right now there are quite a few other things in our family that need to be worked out and thought about.  Whenever that happens, I have plenty of time to read in the middle of the night or wander throughout the house.  I made a poem and will add it below.

Nights

In darkness

I walk throughout the house

It is quiet

in the middle of the night

Shifting my feet I listen

to sounds of snoring, stirring, turning.



On the balcony possums thud 
Nibbling bread meant for the birds

I look outside

But my reflection prevents me

From seeing what’s out there

I want to touch my memories

But they stay as elusive

As the ghostlike shadow

Of my night-time body in a dark window.

Huberta Hellendoorn

May 2012