Editor’s Diary

I pity people who fear Monday. For me, Monday stands for coziness. It starts with the app group ‘Lunch @ the office’, where everyone ticks off whether they will be present or not, and I already look forward in the morning to the salad that our Lianne will make. And to Lil's outfits, Lotte's growing belly, the sleazy details surrounding the divorce of Amber Heard and Johnny Depp that Wieke follows to the last detail, my phone call with Daan that lasts until we see each other live when I park my car and she parks her bike in front of the door, the pieces from Ella that always make me laugh out loud, and so on. In short, coziness. And that is called working.

At half past two, I jump in the car to pick up my youngest girl to go horseback riding. That is the advantage of being your own boss and having a flexible job. Tonight, I will open that laptop again for a cozy piece.

Tuesday has been a work-from-home day since corona, and at the end of the afternoon, I head towards Laren. At Leco, I met Aaltje van Zweden, the wife of the famous conductor. She also has a child with a disability, and in that respect, she is my spirit animal. Making a virtue out of necessity, turning vulnerability into strength. She wrote about it and created the Papageno House, a beautiful place where people with disabilities can live ‘in rooms’. Now she has written a book about children with disabilities during World War II: stunningly beautiful. Because it involved both Aaltje and a presentation at the Papageno House, this presentation was marked in the agenda with waterproof marker. In a full room, I wiped away tears. For Aaltje's words. For the place that offers so much safety to people who find it harder to arrange that for themselves, and also for the idea that our Flo might one day also be able to live ‘in rooms’ here.

The father of Jaap van Zweden, 94 years old, danced with his fingers over the piano while a violinist accompanied him. Oh, how beautiful it was.

Wednesday is barre day. Although, morning. I found a studio in Haarlem where I really enjoy exercising again. Reformer Pilates, TRX, but especially the barre training brings me back to thirty years ago when ballet was my everything. I found the best instructor ever there, Olga Isabelle, who dares to help me get my stiff body into the split position. I get new homework every week, and not only am I quite surprised by the results myself, but I have also truly become addicted to stretching. I love it.

On Thursday, I get to go on a school trip with Iggy. The candy bag (a bit more than the allowed 100 grams, but oh well) is ready, and her little fists are clenched with excitement. She wants to know if I will sit with her on the bus. As long as she still wants that, I seize my chance. The Archeon is educational and fun, and when it pours rain and we seek comfort in a clay hut, a classmate suddenly tells an exciting story to chase away the boredom. No phones, no TV, just the sound of the rain, a muggy warmth, and a circle of children listening. I won't forget this easily.

’In the evening, I get to dance again for a bit. My love is in Italy for work for a day, so it's Ladies Night. We watch Anne with an E, drink star mint tea, and I get a glass of wine. A mattress is slid into our bedroom, and we all sleep together. When I wake up at six, I just keep looking at them for a quarter of an hour.

And now it's already Friday. The day starts with Flo (staff shortages in healthcare, so she stays with me), the laptop open, and a pile of packages that need to be returned. Soon our super nanny Stella will come, and I will head out. First to Roya for the best eyebrows (if you can transform mine from the nineties, you are a wizard) and then to Amsterdam where I have a job interview with someone for a new project that we will launch soon. Very exciting. I guess I will sit down to write for a bit there and then kick off the weekend at a friend's whose husband is celebrating his fiftieth. Yes, that's the phase I'm in now. And then the weekend awaits. Delightfully undefined. But there are drinks, coziness, and spontaneous drinks on my weekend bingo card, so I think it will be fine. I wish you all the delight, and we'll read each other next week.,

May