Last night.

Well, I suppose I don't need to tell you what I did yesterday evening at around dinnertime. Yes, I watched the inauguration and I was so impressed and awe stricken by the whole procedure. It felt like the president of the world was taking office. You can bet that the whole of the Netherlands was glued to the television with glee at seeing George W. go and seeing Barack Obama enter.

It was truly a magnificent moment and one that we will not soon forget, because the importance of it was not lost on us and I am sure I don't need to tell you any of the reasons of why that is. I would just be repeating the thousands of commentators from all over the world who have asserted the significance of it.

I was so impressed with his speech, because it was full of hope and optimism, while at the same time being realistic and truthful, but ever so inspiring. Not only to you Americans, but to all the people in the world. I felt like I was listening to John Kennedy who said, "Ask not what your country can do for you..." Barack Obama has that same inspiring charisma and that attraction to make people willing to do their very best. It must be a wonderful moment in time to be an American now and to be proud of it.

I tell you, we would give anything to have a prime minister with such vision and inspiration, but I doubt very much that we will ever produce that man or woman to fill his shoes. Someone we can be that proud of. Our own prime minister pales in comparison, but then again, it doesn't take much.

So, today is Wednesday and I have an appointment this afternoon with my case manager at Social Services to talk about work integration. It will be our first serious talk together and in a way, I am looking forward to it, because it is time that he knows what I am all about and what his expectations of me should be. I need to paint a realistic picture so that he can offer me the kind of help and guidance that I need. It isn't like he can just toss me into the work force and expect me to handle that with flying colors. Much caution is needed.

I also have ergo therapy this morning and I am looking forward to that, because we are going to discuss our daily schedules and how we fill our time and how we bring structure to our days. I have a daily schedule that I have a hard time sticking to and I need to sit down and have a look at it and find out what seems to be the problem, what is intimidating about it.

I have a tendency to spend a lot of time day dreaming, which I find a very pleasant occupation, because I think of very pleasant things, but it does prevent me from mopping the floors. It is a habit I have had all my life and is hard to break. I travel inside my own head and it takes me to so many places. I also think I need the peace and quiet it brings me, because I know that too much of the real world overwhelms me.

Anyway, it will be good to look at the schedule, because in reality, I know it isn't all that difficult and I know that if I stick to it, I'll manage a lot better in the end. I'm not the only one in the group who's having this problem.

In order to take care of the Überhund's teeth, I have bought him a box of Bonzo chewy bones and he gets one three times a day. He is very fond of them and practically salivates when he sees the box. I think he has a harder time chewing things because he is missing some crucial teeth, but he manages with the bones anyway. It just takes him a little longer.

When I first gave him a bone, he was so pleasantly surprised, that he didn't know what to do with it and he walked around the apartment with it for some time, looking for a good place to devour it. It seemed that everywhere he went, there was a cat and, because he was very protective of that bone, he could not relax and eat it.

The cats must be very jealous, because all they get are dry kibbles and milk and water and the few bites of food they manage to steal from the Überhund's food when I fix it for him.

Have a perfectly terrific day and do manage to stay out of trouble. Who am I saying that to, really? Right!

Ciao...