Queen Beatrix celebrates her 71st birthday. I do not see many flags in the streets. We officially celebrate the Queen’s birthday on April 30th, which was her mother’s birthday. It was the first official decision of her reign to retain April 30th as the national holiday. A very good idea, because the day is always celebrated with many outdoor activities. Today is very cold and windy but sunny, which is nice. Not a day for outdoor games.
I have just received Anbo’s monthly magazine for its members. It looks nice, but if I had not been alerted to the fact that it was going to be renewed, I am not so sure I would have noticed. I always look for policy news first. This time they tell what they did to try and convince politicians that extra co-payments for long-term care in care homes to be levied on the assets of people who have more than just a rather small amount in the bank should not be introduced. They have really done what they could, I am glad to know and they are very proud they have been successful. But….what Parliament has decided instead: an extra levy on the income of people with assets seems to me just as bad. I have seen only scarce information plus a letter from the Junior Minister to Parliament about the two proposals and this information was incomplete and unclear to me, so I should not jump to conclusions, but I cannot suppress a certain suspicion that the seniors’ organisations have been fooled by Parliament. Anyway, many older people in care homes will have to pay even more than before.
A friend from Rotterdam and I were going to go out for a walk in the countryside on Sunday, but the weather forecast is bad: very strong easterly winds, low temperatures and possibly snow. We decide not to go. This leaves me some extra time to catch up with house work, personal administration and phone calls.
I admire Aujke’s outdoor interests. Although she gets mad about the privatization of her benefits and the higher costs to seniors of almost everything, I think she manages to stay calm by going out for hikes and walks. I think that I will follow her lead. When I get mad at Pete Peterson for trying to end Social Security in the US, I will take a walk and then come home and fire off a letter to our legislators. And do everything possible to alert my old and young friends to organize against this multi-billionaire’s terrible scheme to end Social Security.
ReplyDeleteGo to it, Aujke! You inspire me!