Which translates: “A Haircut and a Shave”. And the marina yard here shows a haul out and bottom wash as “Knippen en Scheren”. So, on this subject, I had my $ 27.50 hair cut yesterday. You might remember that my first hair cut in Holland, last August, was $ 35.00 Then the next one was done by Evelyn for free. I can cook, iron, clean house, but I cannot cut my own hair. I am looking for a woman like Maureen. Put the word out.

John and Maureen La Vake are from Washington, N.C. , right near the ICW and Pamlico Sound. They showed up yesterday here in Monnickendam in the blue power boat in the background “Liv’n Good” . They have been boating through France and surroundings for the last 6 years. They purchased the boat from an other American in France. They are both from Connecticut, took early retirement and moved to North Carolina.  My Alabama friend Roger joined me on their boat and we had a great time this morning exchanging our varied experiences. I hope we stay friends. A nice break between coats of Linear Polyurethane and Cetol on the teak trim. “Fleetwood” is starting to look good again; while removing all the sanding dust I scrubbed the house and cleaned the teak deck which had moss growing on it after the winter snow cover melted.  The marina is so enormous and appears much less personal than the  atmosphere in Amsterdam at “de Schinkel”  but I have met many other sailors. My closest neighbors, who are here on a two week vacation are Karen and Markus from Wuppertal. They have become new friends. Tomorrow I’ll be meeting Hans and Vonnie van der Werff . We started corresponding about ten years ago. They live in Ontario, Canada and are here on vacation in Holland, their former homeland.  Hans is a  minister/pastor of a  Messianic Jewish church. I met their daughter at a Messianic Jewish service in Vancouver many years ago.  I found Hans through his web site www.cympm.com when I was doing research on the concentration camp Vught where our mother was kept political prisoner in 1944.

I have been very fortunate that it has not rained since I started sanding, last week. I hope to get a couple more coats on and then I plan to start cruising to Friesland by way of Spakenburg, Lelystad, Urk.

The World Cup soccer has turned Holland into a frenzy. I watched Monday’s 2-0 Holland-Denmark game in the local pub. I am just going to have to get my orange clogs, orange wig, or whatever. You see the weirdest costumes.