Sylvia's Journal

Today is the 14^th which always brings back the memories of that fateful day in July and what happened afterwards, both good and bad. Nine months post-crash found Axel and me walking the Masconomo-Proctor Street loop, fairly upright, at a good clip, although still with pains in various large muscle groups. When we come home we should be doing stretches. Instead we ate cake and chocolates left over from our annual Easter celebration – a little late this year because of weather and travel schedules.

Easter remains a significant part of the year for us because that is the time we met and, some time later, fell in love, and, again some time later, married. Since 1985 we have made the arrival of spring and Easter time an excuse for a party to celebrate our love, the arrival of new life in our garden and new beginnings of any kind. It is always a joyous event; what else can it be when you have dear friends spending a good part of a day with you, bringing and eating good food and catching up on work, kids and other important things. The Easter bunny hit the egg bags, this year more on the ground and less in the trees than usual. Climbing trees is not as easy this year for the bunny.

This morning I booked Axel’s flight on April 25 to accompany me to Holland and two weeks later back again. While I am working in Ethiopia Axel will be vacationing in Holland. He was a bit nervous about it, not sure his body can handle the flight over and being away from his own bed and exercise routines. I think I have convinced him that things will work out and if they don’t, we can always find places for massage and physiotherapy. If I can arrange this in Nairobi and Kabul, I am sure we can arrange it in Holland.

He will be arriving at the height of the tulip season so the timing is perfect. We will also be able to participate in two significant events that will bookend the trip: a long overdue family reunion of my mother’s family (de Clercq) and my youngest brother’s 50^th birthday.