solid as a bank

All the walking I'm doing is starting to hurt my feet more and more. Mindful of the doctor's advice to "use a bicycle" I thought I'd go looking for a stationary trainer bike. These things you can ride in the comfort of your home while reading a book or watching TV. Unfortunately, if you buy one new they cost you an arm and a leg for a model that'll satisfy a IT professional. I want one with all the bells and whistles: heart rate, burned calories, different training programmes etc.

Most people who buy these things use them only once and then sell them again. With this in mind I set off (walking!) to the corner of Kamerlingh Onneslaan and Middenweg. There's a second-hand shop there and I thought that maybe they had something for me.

They had only one bike; a ratty looking mechanical thing with no bells, whistles, flashing lights or electronics. €40,- they were asking. Not in 40 years. I'll keep looking.

Across from the shop I saw the old telephone- exchange building. I really like the lettering on this doorway, as well as the stone work. I wish architects would find it in them to once more try to make buildings look pretty as they did in the past. When you look at this lowly telephone exchange you know the telephone company is a solid company that's not going to go bankrupt tomorrow.

In a similar vein, if banks were built the way banks were built years ago in stead of glass and concrete, then maybe we wouldn't have a credit crisis. Those bankers of old would never have given a loan to somebody who couldn't pay back. They would have used the money to make their banks look solid, thereby putting money into the hand of craftsmen who could then spend it. There you have it: Kees' Theory of Stone Economics. Solid as a rock.

telephone exchange

I decided I would spend my money on a cup of coffee in Frankendael. I hadn't been in since they've opened so I was curious how it looked. The interior of the restaurant / bar is fairly modern, but over the top. It pretty very busy; lots of families and couples having their coffee or late lunch. The service was very friendly; I'll be back here.

frankendael

I walked out the backdoor and into the formal gardens behind Frankendael.

frankendael gardens

You exit the gardens through the back gate. This puts you back into Frankendael park.

frankendael back door

Walking through the park I met Philip Palmer. He was on his way to the cemetery. A girl he knew from Mulligans had died last week. He thought I should know her too, but I couldn't fit a face to the name; Maartje, Philip said it was. She had always been a sickly person. I still didn't have a clue. Philip then told me Birgit was coming over from Oz at the end of December and wanted to see all her friends at a big dinner somewhere. I knew she was visiting, but the dinner was new. Philip said he'd keep me in the loop. Last bit of gossip was that he enjoys Nicole's Friday emails. I do too.

We said our goodbyes and I walked back home. I didn't have to do any shopping since I had done it all yesterday.

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