So many good things going on this month, it seems. I've found an announcement for a festival called, Mooie Woorden, which is held in Utrecht, and I'm thinking of taking Joel Jan with me because this seems like something he'll enjoy. I'm also hoping I can attend the Crossing Borders Festival in The Hague next week.

Anyway, yesterday, I attended the closing program to the Black Magic Woman Festival in Amsterdam. This involved quite a good deal of organization. With hubby off to Czechoslovakia, asking Ma-in-law to babysit was out of the question. I mean, I could already hear her saying: "In my day, a woman who went out in the streets while her husband was away from home was not a good woman." In other words, "What business do you have going off to a festival and leaving your two boys when your husband ain't home?"

I thank the Lord for goodhearted neighbours who adopt strangers into their family circle. Mine kindly took over and practically pushed me out of the house.

"Your husband is away," she said. "You go out, enjoy yourself and don't worry. The boys know me. My husband is home, we can take care of everything."

So, off I went to Amsterdam to enjoy an envigorating evening among these strong, emancipated, migrant women. I think the Filipinas comprised a great portion of the audience, and to our delight, Dyanne Oosterbeek-Latoza ( founder of Stichting Bayanihan) was given the ZAMI Award. In the break, we went and shook hands too with Rebecca Walker. Such a lovely person. I shall have to go and buy a copy of her book sometime soon.

Open confession about this budgetting thing. I love beautiful things, and I love renovating and redecorating my house, but more than all these, I love the written word.

I'm putting these three festivals on my agenda for next year along with the Amsterdam Literary Festival. Although, I received a mail from the ALF coordinator about ALF not getting any subsidy from the Amsterdam municipality, which means the ALF is in danger of not pushing through next year.

Which makes me wonder why arts, music and literature seem to be the first thing to get the ax when a municipality needs to tighten it's belt.

The municipality I live in has announced its intention to put a halt to subsidies for the only music school and art center in Bodegraven. It makes me wonder what scrapping culture will do to the soul of a place.

When I consider my budget, I know the last thing that's getting chopped off that list is the part that feeds my soul.