Tuesday 4 - Autumn Reading

1. What's on your reading list for September?
   
   Nothing special.
   We're now preparing for Operation Market Garden.
   Operation Market Garden was an allied military operation taking place during 17 to 25 september 1944.
   
   The Netherlands was occupied by the Nazies since May 10 1940 and a corridor was needed to reach Berlin.
   So the allies landed on D-Day in France, moved to the south of The Netherlands and fought their way up north...
   Operation Market Garden was part of the plan... In fact it consisted of two parts: 
   1. seizing nine bridges with combined US and British airborne forces ("Market") followed by
   2.British land forces swiftly following over the bridges ("Garden").
   
   More than 41.000 men were dropped to seize the bridges and hold them until the land forces arrived.
   
   The plan was successful in freeing the south of the country up to Nijmegen (where I live.)
   But the bridge in Arnhem was... a bridge too far..
   There were too many germans in the area so at the end Operation Market Garden failed and many brave men died.
   
   It was a military failure... 
   But... to the Dutch is was not a failure.
   They knew that the allies were caring, so it boosted their morale a lot!!! Optimism settles in their minds and hearts: one day in the near future this occupation would end.
   
   Up to this day we remember Market Garden and the men who risked their lives for us.
   Our parachute group, Parachute Group Holland, jumps with the WW2 round canopees at the historical drop zones.
   We hold services to honor those who came to free us. We tell their stories.
   
   If someone who reads this wants to donate please let me know.
   We are having financial problems due to the high fuel costs.
   
   This year we will jump at: Wolfheze, Groesbeek, Heeswijk and we will open the mass dropping at the Ginkel Heath (Ginkelse Heide) by flying in with a ww2 Dakota. We're followed by a mass dropping of allied parachutists. All in presence of the King, veterans, their family members, representatives of the allied countries, ambassadors and many more.
   
   Most of the jumps, transport to and from the airfields, accomodation costs, are paid by the paras themselves.
   Some come from far, like my British friend and some from the USA and Canada.
   
   So I won't be able to read aythig else than weather-reports, apps, and other planningspapers.
   
   
2. Does your favorite reading nook look anything like the one in the picture or do you wish it did?
   
   Oh, I wish...
   
   
3. Can you name some books you've read many times?  Do you recommend them?
   
   I can recommend: 
   Santa Montefiore: Wait for me.
   
   
4. Which of the classics have you read?  Good Reads offer a list of classics they recommend here.
   
   Most of them.

The meteorological autumn starts here september 1.
The astronomical one:  23 september.

 

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About **Syl

Syl: "Life is a chain of challenges. Sometimes the largest challenges are we ourselves. Facing life, facing others and facing yourself requires either a worryless attitude or plain courage. Most of the time it is dealing with judgement. Maybe life is about getting rid of it."