again. The Elfstedentocht requires a minimum of 15cm of ice along the entire route. As our planet warms up, this will happen less and less. It last took place in 1997.  But we have had a spectacular “winter wonderland”. A high pressure system fed in cold air from the east, and mist and low temperatures combined to cover everything with a layer of hoar frost.. This is not so great for those whose cars are parked outside day and night, as is the case with most people here, but for the past three years we have been environmentally responsible and have done without a car. Yesterday morning dawned with clear skies and I walked around for an hour or so taking the pictures you can find on: http://picasaweb.google.com/PeterJLor/HoarFrostInVoorburg.

We’ve had many wonderful experiences in the Netherlands over the past almost three years.  The end of our stay here is now slowly but surely approaching and our moves for the next few years are taking shape. My three year contract with IFLA expires on 14 February next year. I’ll stay on only an additional six months until early September 2008, which is a suitable time for my successor to take over. We then hope to do a bit of travelling in Europe for a few weeks and return to South Africa around the end of September 2008.  If all goes well in mid-January 2009 we will to leave for the USA where I have been offered an appointment as a visiting scholar at a Library School for two or three semesters. There I’ll have a modest teaching commitment and a bit of time for research and writing. I’m hoping to use this opportunity to write a book on international librarianship. After that… probably back to South Africa for real or semi-retirement. Decisions await us.

Thank you very much for all the cards and letters we have received from you.  Please don’t hold it against us if we do not answer personally!  We wish you a blessed Christmas, a happy festive season, and many blessings in the coming year.

Peter and Monika

PS: Don't hesitate to share this letter with mutual friends.  We always have a crop of undelivered e-mails, and we like to keep in touch