"World Press Photo Winner 2007"

This photo would win the grand prize, for me this year.

It's a sweet moment of an adorable child with her adoring grandfather.

Perhaps what makes it so special to me is I didn't know my own grandparents nor do I know my extended family; I've only ever had my parents and two sisters. I find it an absolute miracle that we have sprouted to become new families - what was once the Hardjono family is now the Tyers, the van Rases and also the Hardjono-Mains. These families are just beginning to grow into the third generation and soon we'll create and experience a new idea of family. That's something really new to me.

I was thinking about little Mary last night. I wished I could give her just one hug and give her an extra squeeze to help me remember the warmth of her wriggly little form. And I wished I could give my dad a cuddle too.

Missing you!

What can you celebrate on a Sunday?

Yesterday it was Mary's 2nd birthday. She had a chocolate birthday cake and received lots of presents - so she told me on the phone. I hear tell that Mary is keeping up with the newest miniature co-ordinated outfits of her age-group and that she wears her hair up in a ponytail. She even sports training pants because she decided last week that she would potty-train herself. Indeed, Mary can say "I big girl" ... and it sounds like the truth. I miss her.

Yesterday Edwin and I celebrated our 3rd month wedding anniversary - every day of it fabbo. We celebrated it by spending 5 hours at the sauna.

But before that, we dropped into Eindhoven to cheer on some arguably crazy people as they spent their Sunday running a mere 42km in very pleasant Dutch autumn weather.

Check out this wacko!

I managed to happily squeeze in a bit of window shopping - and am very proud to shout out loud to the world at large that I saved a big wad of cash because shops are only open once a month on Sundays in the Netherlands!

And yeah, why not spend a Sunday giving thanks to a local hero. Well, sure, Fritz Philips put Eindhoven on the map, but yesterday my Ed certainly fit the part of king of Eindhoven ... (Ads for Eindhovens Dagblad - the local rag - ... to be used as sitting thingies for spectators of the Eindhoven marathon).

Moving on

So, my days with the famed nuns in Vught are numbered. I have set my sights on a professional future with a very exciting company, PHILIPS DESIGN. I start in November.

I will be the new External Public Affairs officer, deciding on which global events the Philips Design spokespeople should attend, helping them prepare for their presentations (many are non-native English speaking people) and working as a writer in the communications department. There's room for further development and training and it's a full time position situated in Eindhoven. Couldn't ask for a better match for me, given my interests and my professional background.

If you're interested in what the company does, click on the link below.

http://www.design.philips.com/shared/assets/Downloadablefile/A-Creative-Force-for-Innovation-Smaller-14328.wmv