My posting dates are messed up.

It is Wednesday the 5th of October. Currently, it is 0:04 where I sit.

We just returned from one of the nicest evenings I have passed in the company of others. A. & M. took me to dinner with their "swimming club". The name is such because, at the start, the group met, ate and went swimming afterwards. Now, they tell me, they most often gather, eat, chat. A wonderful group of people.

Dinner was tasty and my welcome warm. The conversation hit on topics fun, intellectual, get-to-know-chatter and silly (think discussing B. Spears and her penchant for walking barefoot in public lavatories just after discussing the incident where a woman had her purse stolen out of her car while parked at a light, chased the thief in reverse until she hit him - and killed him).

This afternoon was spent shopping with A. For an image of Bijenkorf, go here. We didn't intend to shop all day, but that's what happened. Clothing, music, book. We stopped in Bijenkorf, a department store. (This is a picture I found of the store.) Beautiful items to be found in their bedding section. It's a good thing I've a small bag in which to carry my world for these few weeks.

The first store we went to was an H&M; on one street (a shopping, pedestrian only street about a mile? long) there are five H&M stores. They each carry different lines of clothing, but there are five. Oh, and the clothes here are made for girls much smaller than I. I wear a 44 or 46 here and most clothes we found were 36 or 38. I did find and buy a top for the wedding celebration (which was why we entered the store). Clothing prices are comparable, so I didn't break the bank. I also didn't buy at any chic designer shop. H&M, for those not in the know, is the clothing version of IKEA - not cheap, but reasonable while stylish and good for about a year's use.

I also bought - yet another copy of - Pride and Prejudice. A big part of my England trip will be filled with things Jane Austen. Since I don't have my DVD set with me, I'm back to the original format.

At the end of our shopping, we entered an expensive department store (you could smell the money), waited a long time for the elevator, pressed the button for the six floor, stepped out and were greeted with a view of the city. A lovely cafe, nearly empty of patrons. A cold drink, quiet and a peaceful view. The perfect way to begin recovering from a day of shopping and getting rustled by my fellow man in shaded streets with screaming signs and window displays.

Tomorrow I will go to the Rijksmuseum (A. showed me the correct tram stops (yes, there are a number of them) to get there before I lose steam. Then I make cookies for A. and M. Tourist/domestic. Wish me luck!