Some days are calm and sombre whilst other days are full of activities and excitement. No two days are the same. Yesterday the sun hid behind the clouds but after noon it brightened up. Beautiful weather or not - I started off yesterday with a pleasant meeting in a charming cafe. After 1 1/2 hours I returned home. Somewhat later, the sun was shining in its full glory and the mood in my household brightened up but not only because of the sun. Why? In order to tell you the full story, I need to go back to last week Tuesday, 4 March 2025.

About 10 years ago a friend told me that her son started attending an “iPad school”. It sounded very modern and unique but to some it was gimmicky and a fad. However, soon after I realized that there were several such schools all over the country. One could argue that it is not so unusual as Montessori schools also focus on how a child’s individual path. If the iPad as a tool supports learning, then there is no issue.

The week flew by so swiftly - I will not complain about that. Actually, the whole month of February was like a moment in time. I can hardly recall much about particular days or weeks or maybe I do not want to remember. The weekdays are sort of blurred with each other but I do recall my weekends.

Last week I caught up with a childhood friend. It was a 2 1/2 hour phone conversation that flowed effortlessly. She lives on another continent and in another time zone, so our sporadic calls or texts can be 2 years apart sometimes. Despite that, it was a great time. We have not outgrown or drifted from each other. We still have a lot in common - hence the long phone call.

It was a grey and cold winter’s day, when I visited Ilpendam. As the name suggests, it is near a dam on the river Ilp. It is a very small village covering about 2 square kilometers and has less than 2000 inhabitants. As there was no rain, the weather was pleasant and therefore a nice opportunity to go for a walk.

Any time - any place – anywhere – that is the nature of our current access to information. If we have the right networks and our phone apparatuses are charged – we are ready and can access information at our fingertips. There is no longer a need to go to libraries filled with books and other reference materials - unless one really wants to.