Aukje de Vries' Diary Day 60

A civil servant of the Ministry of Health Welfare and Sports (VWS) calls. He is dealing with the complaint we have filed with the Ombudsman. He apologizes and recognises our letter was not dealt with properly. He also invites me for a meeting in person. I prefer to do this with at least one other member of the group, so he sends me a list of dates and I will check with the others.

I also receive news that the other organisation, where we have problems, will receive a payment for its activities. This was already in the air, but we had to wait until another agency had made a similar decision. Now the two agencies have sent us their positive decision, which I immediately forward to all the members of the board. Most of them send me congratulations. It will make it a lot easier to function, but we will have to remember it is for one year only. As yet we do not have any structural funding.

It is another cold but bright day so I go again to Scheveningen, where there is a market today. It looks cheerful and is much more crowded than in the previous weeks.

Aukje de Vries' Diary Day 59

It is a nice day but cold. I have an appointment with the periodontist. She checks the results of the treatment and her conclusions are very positive. That is good news. Even though it is already halfway into the afternoon, I go to the beach because it is such a nice and sunny day and excellent weather for a walk. On the beach there is a group of four young people who ask me if I know that the largest bookshop on ships is now moored in Scheveningen harbour. They give me a flyer which does not make clear what kind of a bookshop it is. It makes me curious so I go and have a look. It is a very nice, rather large ship. Much larger than any ship I usually see in Scheveningen. The harbour is mostly for fishing and yachting. There is someone guiding interested persons at the gangway. We have to pay an admission fee and even though it is not much, I want to know what I am paying for. At first the answer is rather vague, but when I insist I hear it is a missionary ship. That is not something I am interested in at all. I am a non believer and I am not in favour of missionary activities.

Aukje de Vries' Diary Day 58

Today I have an appointment with my tax consultant. I have organised my papers quite well so I can give her all the information she needs. For the year 2008 it is possible to deduct medical costs above a rather low threshold. She thinks the government has not realised how much the rules, which were new for 2008 but which will be changed again in 2009, are going to cost. Almost all her clients will get a tax refund. The same goes for me. Because I had a lot of costs for oral surgery and dental care I am sure to get money back. For once her report will bring me good news. At this point in time it is unclear what the rules are for 2009. I have seen a message from the government in the newspaper that there will be compensations for different categories such as people with a handicap and older people but it is totally unclear who will be entitled and what will be compensated.

The allowances, compensations and fiscal instruments grow in numbers and complexity. How are we to know what our entitlements are? It is far too complicated for an ordinary citizen. Even my consultant does not know.

There is a third person, involved in the organisation where we have problems, who has received the same message from the person whose leadership is questioned, requesting a written statement within 7 days. She is also furious and writes an answer refusing to respond to the command but stressing how poor the leadership of the organisation is. The three of us who received the message, as well as another person who has played a very positive role in the organisation, will have a teleconference, trying to figure out what we can do to make sure that after elections, which are to be held soon, the organisation remains manageable.

Aukje de Vries' Diary Day 57

It is a day without appointments. I have to do some work on the diary and hope to get started with some other jobs that are waiting to be done. Surprise, or maybe not. The person with whom I had the difficult telephone call last week sends me an e-mail. This sounds more like a command than like a request. Nor does it propose a useful activity. I am asked to clarify in writing within 7 days what my issues are concerning the leadership of the organisation, so that these can be dealt with immediately. I wonder what her ideas are for dealing with them. Obviously it has not dawned on her what the real problem is.

She adds that I ought to be mindful that the management and leadership of the organisation are a collective responsibility. She must have regained her self-confidence and wants to show she is a strong leader. I am afraid this is not the kind of leadership the organisation needs. I send her a rather blunt message back, letting her know that I think I have been sufficiently clear and do not accept her commands. I hope that this is the kind of language she understands.

A little later I get a message from an other person, who has received the exact same message as I. She is furious, but has sent a very polite message back, saying she has already given her opinion.