Trapped between the winter storm and high pressure to its east, South Florida stood out like a chili pepper on nationwide temperature maps Monday-a red hot poker against the cooler hues of blues and purples.
Kimberly Miller, The Palm Beach Post
Skating is back in holland
While we are basking in beach weather, a polar vortex has dripped down on much of the United States and Europe, sending temperatures plunging. However, while others shiver indoors, the Dutch have rejoiced in the return to skating on canals.
My friend Anne, one of the dear nurses who cared for me as I recovered from a near-fatal illness in Amsterdam, wrote me to share the joy of recovering this national winter sport.
For the first time in more than 10 years we really had a winter!!! I was skating today on the canal and thought of you. I wanted you to taste a little bit of our Dutch culture.
Anne Berkhout, OLVG nurse
Ice is not good everywhere
When ice skating is your national sport, it stands to reason that the Dutch would have terms for all the related activities.
This picture of us crawling on our knees is called “klunen” in Dutch. If the ice is too weak, you have to go by foot or knee so that you don’t fall through the ice.
Anne Berkhout, OLVG nurse
But when you DO fall through the ice, you become a Twitter sensation under the hashtag “Ice is not good everywhere.”
Perhaps we’ll skate together
Maybe someday you can see this with your own eyes and skate with us!!
Anne Berkhout, OLVG nurse
My ice skates, which I wore for many winters in upstate New York, are in my Florida bedroom closet, so who knows? It’s Anne’s passion for life that I treasure. So many enthusiastic, tall, smiling people are certainly something I’d love to experience again.
However, I also hope that Anne can someday join us around our lanai fire pit under the palm trees.
