This & that -- dit en dat

1. One question of long standing has suddenly been answered: the house at the end of my street (on the posh side, facing the beautiful park and canal), with the trampoline-like things suspended from near the ceilings, belongs to a dentist. What a relief, to have that solved.

2. Paging through a magazine about Leiden yesterday, what appeared but a note about a local theatre, that is housed and performs in one of the posh houses around the corner! The director/usual actress lives in the house. I see the rear of the house and there are always a lot of elegant chairs by the window. The theatre seats about 25. Needless to say, I'm booking tickets for the next production, which is in March. www.plantsoentheater.nl

3. Socks . . . Be still, all hearts! Yes, I found some new ones yesterday. Very nice. Nearly 100% cotton. One pair striped, in most of my colors. One pair spotted (light brown with cream spots; perfect with linen trou). Two pair darkest purple, knee socks. Total cost: 20 Euros, more or less. Secretly, I think that they're all men's socks, but I certainly don't care. They fit very nicely. Women's socks are mostly useless.

4. What was it? Another mystery was revealed this week, besides Nicole Kidman making some really horrible movies (and my being foolish enough to rent them). Oh: as my class discussed vocabulary to do with health not long ago, it was revealed that all elementary and secondary schools here are visited at least monthly by a sort of circuit dentist! He/she drives around the country in a fully-equipped dental van. This is paid out of taxes and has been going on since the 1950s! Then, our Estonian said that all schools in Estonia have resident doctors AND dentists, ready at a phone all to rush into duty. All we ever had/have in the States is a nurse. I was mightily impressed.

That's enough enlightenment for the third day of the year. Good night!