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WE ALREADY HAD A CONNECTION (as Jelmer had previously delighted the yard man and me with his presence as a guest a few years ago). But now he is back (This time the young Dutchman traveled to the U.S. from the country of Ecuador to make a presentation at Horse Progress Days), and he wants to make yet another connection! The way things stand, however, he's got to bring his laptop right into my kitchen in order for that to happen!



Which just means that ever since his arrival here on Sunday morning, I get to share his company in my kitchen for several hours a day, and enjoy his humor and wry observations on the American Way of Life.

Today, after he'd been out running errands with the yard man, Jelmer told me he was astonished to hear the classical radio station to which they'd been listening take a break in the playing of lovely music to announce (of all things) A HOT-DOG-EATING CONTEST!!"That is something that would NEVER happen in the Netherlands!" he exclaimed, "--to have a classical radio station tell about something like THIS!" He was fascinated, amused, and ever so slightly horrified!
"It just isn't DONE," he continued, "as the British would put it."
Alas, Dear Reader, the U.S. citizen hearing his remark was nothing if not highly amused! (I was crowing with delight!) "What can I say?!" I begged (finding hilarity in the casual improprieties of my fellow citizens around the country), "We are crude Americans!"

Perhaps the yard man redeemed somewhat the vulgar ways (of our collective whole) by showing his deep appreciation for Franz Schubert (though Franz was Austrian and not Dutch). Jelmer translated the lyrics of Schubert's "beautiful, poetic" musical compositions for the yard man. It was easy for Jelmer; he speaks five languages fluently! (And has never ever, I might add, seen a person cramming hot dogs down his throat as fast as humanly possible*)

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*(Which is certainly not to say he wouldn't get a kick out of watching!
[He's a man of many interests])

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