
Today we buried Oom Jan, my one favourite uncle still alive until Friday. He was the friendliest man. He and Tante Gerrie owned a bicycle shop and the greatest treat was to drive around with him in his Ford Transit, delivering bikes to his customers. I was allowed to 'repair' bicycles, to find my way on the attic where you could find all kinds of treasures. Not in the least those Trix trains you then still had. He came in so handy, also during the 2nd World War. He was 15 when the war started. Installing that electricity switch trick, that fooled the Germans. One turn, no light. Two turns, light. With Germans two houses down the street, doing his own thing to frustrate them.
May 4, commemoration of the dead all over the Netherlands. Silence for two minutes. Birds singing at the Waalsdorpervalkte, where so many people were executed. We know, once again, how valuable our freedom is. Let's not forget.
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