A Stray Paper ~ The Ximenes Family Record
It often puzzles me how family papers can go astray. Of course, there are many explanations possible: It could have ended up in a book, never retrieved, and the book … Continue reading
After you’ve gone ~ First Lady of Jazz, Rita Reys (1924-2013)
This is what I call a bad start of the day. Whilst putting on some music to make breakfast and browsing through e-mail and the latest news, my jazz-playlist first … Continue reading
Christ has risen! ~ Thank Heaven(s) for Bach
I am currently staying in a village of a rather orthodox-protestant character, and, that is – putting it mildly. It is a small village of about five-thousand souls, with (at … Continue reading
The End of an Era – The announced Abdication of Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands
This evening, at seven o’clock, a special broadcast was aired by all national (Dutch) television and radio stations; it was announced rather suddenly at the end of the afternoon. Expected … Continue reading
The same Procedure as last Year? – A New Year’s Eve Tradition
* This is a classic – a British sketch traditionally broadcasted in Germany on Silvester Abend (New Year’s Eve). Dinner for One is a sketch written for the theatre in … Continue reading
Three-hundred Year old Words of Wisdom ~ (Merry Holidays!)
— For this year’s Holiday and New Year wishes, I decided to dust off an old truth. It is a quote from an ancestor who wrote these words to end … Continue reading
On a Steamboat to Spain? ~ Children’s Portraits under the hammer at ‘Sinterklaas’
It is early December, which means the happiest of times for Dutch children: Sinterklaas. This also means it is that one time of the year that even the Dutch adults, … Continue reading
Dumb Ways To Die ~ How a life can come to an end…
Last week I was shown a video clip that has made quite a name for itself since its release, nearly a month ago. The extremely catchy song Dumb Ways To … Continue reading
The Demise of a Country’s Politics ~ The sorry State of the Netherlands
The moments of me expressing my opinion about politics are rare, and I do not intend to make a habit out of this, but this time I will make an … Continue reading
The simplicity of Kindness, Hospitality, and good Claret ~ Mozart’s 36th Symphony
It would be pretentious to say I don’t like Mozart’s work, there are pieces which are simply amazing, the requiem for instance; and he is undoubtedly one of the … Continue reading
Blood & Genes will always be ~ Research after the Descendants of ‘Count Dracula’
Where I don’t care much for the news I have read about opening the grave of a Florentine noblewoman to prove she could (or could not be) the woman commonly … Continue reading
Bless the Previous Owner ~ the Van Baersdorp Couple under the Hammer
I am very excited. As I explained in my earlier blog post On Auctions , I’m trying to keep myself informed about paintings that are brought to auction. After a … Continue reading
Being Busy but Feeling Good
It’s busy these days, but I do have some posts in concept. So many of my research notes have proven to be interesting and bringing forth so much extra background … Continue reading
Bajushki-baju ~ Childhood Revisited
Traditions are a vital part of our history, they are the absolute proof of our truly European heritage. Always remember that, – just don’t always practise them. Those were the … Continue reading
